Coconut Whipped Cream: A Step-By-Step Photo Tutorial

Did you know you can make a decadent whipped cream by using a can of coconut milk? Not only is it simple to make, but it’s easily the best-tasting whipped cream I’ve tried.

I know whipped coconut cream isn’t new to many of you – people have been making coconut whipped cream for years and years. I first read about it a couple years ago on Vegan Joy’s website and have seen it popping up everywhere.

In today’s post, I’ll show you just how easy it is to make. I can promise you, your life will change when you taste this stuff!

1. Grab a can of full-fat can coconut milk (without guar gum listed as an ingredient) – Update: Native Forest now puts guar gum in the ingredients and this causes the cream and water to emulsify which is not what we want. The can must also be full-fat because you will be whipping the solid cream. Do not use light coconut milk because it won’t turn out. In summary – look for a full-fat can of coconut milk that does not have guar gum listed on the ingredient list. Cool?

Many of you have had trouble making whipped coconut cream with certain brands because some cans don’t always separate. A reader let me know that Thai Kitchen has changed their formula so that it doesn’t separate anymore. Apparently they are coming out with small cans of pure coconut cream instead. Be on the look out! I used Native Forest with decent result, although I have had some duds before.

2. Place can in the fridge overnight. This is another crucial step. You need to chill the coconut cream until it’s very firm. I once tried to make whipped coconut cream without chilling the can – big mistake! It was a watery mess. I like to keep at least a couple cans in the back of my fridge just in case I need a quick whipped cream for a recipe. Then you always have it on hand and don’t have to wait overnight to use it. A few extra cans of chilled coconut milk never hurt anyone.

Just before you make your whipped cream, place a mixing bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes or so. This helps keep everything cold and will be especially helpful for those of you in very warm climates.You can also put the beaters in the freezer too, but it’s not necessary.

3. Remove the chilled can from fridge and FLIP it upside down.

Why flip it upside down?

The liquid coconut milk (the part that doesn’t harden) will now be at the top of the can! Note: Not all cans work for this – check yours.

4. Open the can. See the liquid at the top? You won’t be whipping this part.

5. Pour the coconut liquid into another bowl. You should have just under 1 cup of liquid, but this yield will vary a bit by brand and even by can.

Don’t throw it away – I like to use it in smoothies along with mango, kale, banana, and chia for a fun tropical smoothie. You can also use it in baking and cooking.

As you can see below, you are left with only the hardened coconut cream! Come to mama!! This is exactly what we want to use to make our coconut whipped cream.

6. Scoop the coconut cream into your chilled bowl. (I don’t recommend using a shallow bowl like this one – I only used it for photo purposes so you could see it better!)

As you can see, you get a lot of hardened cream to work with!

7. Whip the cream. Grab a hand mixer (alternatively, you can do this in a stand mixer – just chill the bowl first) and whip the cream until fluffy. It’s really too much fun.

4.6 from 11 reviews

Coconut Whipped Cream

You can easily create a decadent, fluffy whipped cream by using a can of full-fat coconut milk. Not only is the technique simple, but it’s easily the best-tasting whipped cream I’ve tried. You can use this whipped cream just like regular dairy whipped cream. I like to use it in a bowl of fruit, on top of a fruit crisp, or stirred into Banana Soft Serve. The options are really endless! One important tip: you’ll want to chill the can of coconut milk for at least 24 hours before you begin to ensure the white coconut cream solidifies (be sure to read all my tips below on how to buy the right coconut milk for this recipe).

Directions:

Chill the can of coconut milk in the fridge for at least 24 hours. I like to keep a few cans in the fridge at all times so I don’t have to wait.

About 1 hour before making the coconut whip, chill a mixing bowl in the freezer.

After chilling the can, open the can and scoop the solid white coconut cream into the bowl. Discard the coconut water or save it for another use (such as coconut water ice cubes).

Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the cream until fluffy and smooth. Add in sweetener to taste and vanilla.

Return whipped cream to fridge until ready to use. It will firm when chilled and soften at room temperature. This will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 1 week or you can freeze it in an airtight freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. After chilling in the fridge, allow it to sit at room temperature until it softens slightly and then you can re-whip it as needed.

Tips:

* Some brands of canned coconut milk will be better than others for making whipped cream, and even some cans within the same brand can vary quite a bit. For whatever reason, the cream and water in some brands or cans do not separate. A few of the most consistent brands for making coconut whipped cream are: Thai Kitchen full-fat coconut milk, Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream (just the cream—no water in the can!), and Native Forest. I always keep at least a few cans of full-fat coconut milk in my fridge at all times just in case I get a “dud”—then I know I have more on hand. If you happen to get a dud don’t be discouraged. Try out one of the brands above, and be sure to chill it for at least 24 hours. Odds are you will find your perfect brand after some trial and error!!

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There may be a strong urge to shove your face in the bowl.

8. Add in a touch of sweetener and vanilla extract and whip it again.

You can use regular cane sugar, confectioner’s sugar, or even a touch of maple syrup. I find 2-3 teaspoons usually does the trick for my taste buds. I also like to add about 1/4-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract or a vanilla bean. The vanilla really takes it over the edge – I don’t suggest skipping it!

The first time I made this I could not get over how amaaaaazing it tastes. Eric even said he wouldn’t be able to tell that it wasn’t made from dairy. Two big thumbs up from us!

How to use:

You can use this whipped cream just like regular dairy whipped cream. I like to use it in desserts & frostings, it’s amazing over a simple bowl of fruit or pancakes, and sometimes I add a dollop on my vegan overnight oats for an extra creamy bowl. You can even spoon a bit on top of a pie or fruit crisp or stir some into a bowl of banana soft serve. The options are really endless! Have fun making different kinds of flavours and fooling your friends and family.

If making a whipped frosting, I suggest storing the decorated cake/cupcakes in the fridge until ready to serve.

Storing:

Have leftovers? You can easily store it in the fridge for at least 1.5 weeks (probably longer) in a sealed container. It will firm up a bit more in the fridge. Simply scoop it into a bowl and re-whip it when you need it.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do! For those of you who’ve been making it for a while now, what’s your favourite way to prepare/enjoy it?

I discovered your tutorial while looking for a brand name whipped cream stabilizer (not gelatin). If I understand your method it actually replaces whipped cream and it doesn’t taste like coconut. If I want that I guess I must substitute coconut extract for vanilla and I may forget about stabilizers.

I was so excited to try this because I LOVE real whipped cream but it is so bad for your health. I tried this (I omitted vanilla because I didn’t have any) and I did not like the taste. It tasted very much like coconut but not in a good way. I love coconut but this tasted funny. I used the organic brand “Native Forest” but it was not good. Is it possible the omission of vanilla made the difference? The taste was so strong, but not good. I wish it had tasted like pure coconut because I LOVE that. But this was different. The date on the can was not expired.

I’ve personally had luck with native forest. It tastes pretty heavenly to me, light and coconutty. Once I tried a brand called polar, I thought it would be good for whipping because the fat content was a little higher and it had more cream than water in the can. It had a bad sort of woody, and bitter taste – I’d say it could have tasted like the husk of the coconut. And it didn’t help to add anything. Maybe it was a bad batch that you got…

I know that politically correct nutrition tells us that real (dairy) whipped cream is bad for us, but, in fact, the opposite is true. Especially if you are using raw cream as I do. I’ve struggled for so many years from many health issues and it wasn’t until I started eating traditionally (diets based on the studies of Dr. Weston A. Price that thoroughly studied very healthy primitive societies before their culture was invaded by modern food) that my health actually started getting better. I even tried vegan for a bit and had a nervous breakdown. I don’t wanna tell anyone else how to eat or make anyone feel bad for being vegan (cause, when done right, is definitely better than the SAD), but it is frustrating that we’re continually told that foods our bodies crave (like cream and butter) are bad for us. It’s all based on the lipid hypothesis which was developed from a very flawed study that was never corrected because it helped the big producers of cheap, denatured vegetable oils sell margarine, shortening and vegetable oil. Epidemiology isn’t concrete, but it shows a very strong link between our decrease in intake of saturated fats (being replaced by either carbs &/or vegetable oils & trans fats) over the last several decades and an increase in several degenerative diseases including diabetes, heart disease and cancer. I know I might get a few negative comments for speaking out about this, but what I have learned has changed my life so much that I want to share it with others. If you are curious, start by reading “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration” by Dr. Weston A. Price. It’s just a book, so it can’t hurt you.

Yes, I enjoy the real thing better also. But I’ve never tried whipping it this way before. I bet a little almond extract would help cover any off flavors. I would venture to say that you could go half and half – real whipped cream with the coconut cream, and have a creamy whipped dream! Thanks for the recipe and tutorial.

Thanks you, Salem, for speaking the truth! All the disinformation that runs rampant in today’s culture needs to be dispelled, our health is a stake! Butter is GOOD for you, vegetable oils are BAD for you, meat is GOOD for you, a vegan diet is BAD for you, the Prefect Health Diet is another great source of legitimate, well researched, information.

This is a very simplistic statement based, not on truth but on opinion. Many people seek dairy-free alternatives due to lactose intolerance or because a meat and dairy diet creates intolerable lifetime suffering for animals. There is no dispute on that. On the other issues, there is plenty of scientific research available for people to make their own choices. This forum is about making delicious food and not banging the drum for carnivores.

Zabela, very well said. Vegan diet is the most suitable and healthiest diet for the majority of the human kind. Even though, I never met one, there might be some exceptions (like 0.0002%). How many people are dying of heart problems, cancers, etc that are caused by the consumption of animal flesh and their secreation? How many people are dying from consumption of vegetable and their oils? Although this is a very simplistic way to put it, however the honest scientific research without any hidden agendas (of makind money of it) clearly states that the plant based diet is not only the most effective preventive medicine but as importantly the only sustainable and moraly correct choice for human species. For those who promoting false claims or opinions, educate yourselves and you can start with visiting the website of the PCRM. This group of doctors deserves the highest respect of all.

I’m here cuz my husband is lactose intolerant, I have recently been wheat/gluten free, per my dr, cuz our “food” keeps getting messed with and my body wasn’t happy with it, but we are meat eaters :) I never understood either side putting others down for their food choice. If you are vegan, great! If you are a meat eater, great! Both sides need to stop pushing their food choice way of life onto society. I’m pretty sure there’s a lot more to worry about then what we all choose to eat/not eat.

How can eating fruit, vegetables and nuts be BAD for anybody? Tell that to elephants, cows and giraffes also hindus. If you can’t give up meat that’s fair enough but don’t state as fact that eating fruit, veg, and nuts are bad. I have not eaten meat for 9 months nearly and I gave it up because of the cruelty to the animals. However I can say I don’t miss it and whilst my health in some respects has remained the same (eating too much sugar). I have noticed I am not bloated, and I’m not suffering with wind plus there are lots of meat free alternatives that are really good and lastly I am really enjoying my vegetables and legunes because I flavour them really well. I Love not eating meat.

Tell that to elephants, cows and giraffes?
Seriously?
You are a homo-sapien!….
Cats don’t thrive on dog food. Dogs can get seriously ill on”human” food. Chocolate being totally toxic to them.
Cows have four, count ’em, FOUR stomachs to deal with their herbivore diet. We cannot eat what other mammals thrive on. .. Because we’re all built differently. A diesel engine just ups and quits if given four stroke.
I’m not saying we should be carnivores (only eating meat) or herbivores (only eating vegetable matter) or pescatarian.. We are omnivores. That’s what we evolved into. That’s why we have teeth dedicated to both tearing AND grinding.
At least until we teach the next stage of our evolution anyway.

Really Toby… meat is not healthy for you. I don’t know who your doctor is, but I am a nutritionist and there are too many statics facts and proof out there to say otherwise. It is easy to get defensive when you want to only believe facts that are more suitable for your lifestyle. But why I am really commenting is because this whipped coconut cream was delicious and can’t wait to recommend this to my clients!

to Elemjay: “It is interesting to note that most of our teeth are flat for grinding grains and vegetables-and that our hands are better designed for gathering than for tearing flesh apart. Our saliva contains alpha-amylase whose sole purpose is the digestion of carbohydrates. Alpha-amylase is not found in the saliva of carnivorous animals. Carnivores have the capacity to eliminate large amounts of cholesterol, whereas our livers can excrete only limited amounts. Like herbivores, we sweat to cool our bodies rather than pant like carnivores.
“Of all animals that include meat in their diet, man is the only animal that is unable to break down uric acid to allantoin. This is due to the fact that man does not possess the necessary enzyme uricase. This leads to an increased possibility of an accumulation of uric acid in the body when animal products are eaten. (Uric acid is an intermediary product of metabolism that is associated with various pathological states, including gout.)” http://nutritionstudies.org/get-protein-where/

Animals that are designed to eat meat don’t have seminal vesicles. Animals that are herbivores have seminal vesicles. Humans have seminal vesicles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS8cmlbKDTU&index=14&list=PLHor9b_4urNuTICynjjFrXE13n0SpbPsC

I would like to strongly disagree Toby! It is very easy to just say that being vegan is “BAD” for you and eating meat is good just because it’s suits your lifestyle. It’s your choice to eat meat and none of us are saying become vegan, but I will say something when you are actually saying that eating fruits, nuts, and veggies are bad for you. Many people think just because we don’t consume any animal products means we aren’t getting enough protein. That is factually incorrect. If people would actually take the time to research instead of just dismissing it. It is a scientific FACT that avocados, peaches, and figs are very high in protein. Also, kale and other leafy vegetables such as spinach are very high in protein as well. So before you go off and say how being vegan is BAD for you, check your diet because there are MANY studies that show that eating meat over your lifetime (as an typical American diet) you have a high chance of developing cancer, some already developing cancer because of animals proteins and fats. You get plenty of protein in a vegan, plant based diet. “For example, spinach is 51 percent protein; mushrooms, 35 percent; beans, 26 percent; oatmeal, 16 percent; whole wheat pasta, 15 percent; corn, 12 percent; and potatoes, 11 percent.” Please read http://engine2diet.com/question/can-i-get-enough-protein-eating-a-plant-based-diet/. You will find very useful information. Read their website, Rip talks about the effects of animal proteins over the years on your body. So please do not go out saying that being vegan is BAD for when you do not know your facts. And sorry if this came out harsh, I am just very passionate about my health. I am not telling ANYONE to become vegan; it is your choice, your health, your lifestyle. I am just saying, it wouldn’t be bad to look into it or if you continue eating meat and animal proteins, just know that veganism isn’t bad for your health.

There are several studies suggesting you don’t need more than roughly 2-10% protein in your diet. I know. You’re going to say, “What? But I NEED protein! I need it to..build muscles and stuff!” And that is the conventional thought. This is what nutritionists are taught because when you slice open a cow or a chicken or a man and put a slab of his muscle on a slide, what is it made out of? Protein! So, then, you must NEED t I take in protein–ingest it, and plenty of it–to build your muscles, right? Let’s say that’s true. In that case, where does that cow whose big, beefy muscle you were checking out get her protein? Following the nutrition logic we’ve all been fed, to be that big, she’d need to be eating a ton (maybe even literally) of protein, so certainly it can’t be the grass—grass is only 1.8% protein. And what about babies? Human babies, our babies. When they’re born, they’re tiny–mine was only 2.5kilo (about 5 1/2 pounds I think?). By three months old, he was over twice his birthweight! And what did he eat while he did all that growing? Breast milk. Roughly 1% protein. And mum had endless cravings for jacket potatoes (2.4%). We’re both well muscled and happy with just a spoonful of protein in our diets and I hope to keep it that way. It’s only natural.

Dude that is the biggest load of bullshit. Ever. Eating a plant based diet is not nor will it ever be bad for you and it’s funny that you say meat and butter aren’t bad for you considering they are directly linked to a number of diseases that are the leading causes of death in today’s society.

This is quite a general statement based entirely on opinion. Countless medical journals has published research conducted on various forms of diets and their effects on health and chronic diseases. In fact, the best kind of diet which has actually proven – yes, PROVEN – a cure for various forms of Cancer, heart disease and the top 15 chronic illnesses in North America is a vegetarian or even better – vegan diet. And it’s also been proven that meat is a MAJOR contributor for these illnesses. Our bias and habitual love for meat should not stand in the way of scientific facts.
More info and backup for what I mentioned can be found at Michael Greger M.D’s website nutritionfacts.org

I have to disagree. Growing up on a meat farm around dairy farms, most of these people have poor health. I gained so much weight living at home on the farm and lost and kept it off without trying once I left home. Seeing all these farmers face stroke, heart problems, and diabetes, obesity very young has contributed to my loss of interest in animal products. Not to mention the ” China study ” the largest study in history showing proof of the rise on disease once meat and dairy is introduced in the diet. The wars also prove once meat and dairy was removed from the diet diseases decreased immensely. You can eat meat and dairy with little health problems if its under 20% of your total daily diet. I also had a cousin at 38 die of liver cancer this year, which is directly linked to meat anx dairy. 75% of the world is lactose intolerant. That is damming evidence right there!!!

I have been on the search for dairy free recipes that mimic the dairy original. Not because I’ve been told dairy is bad for me, but because it puts my husband and kids in pain and is the cause of sleepless nights full of tummy grumbles. So no, dairy is not good for my family. It is BAD for my family. Gluten messes with my stomach and causes a lot of pain. You shouldn’t make such judgmental blanket statements. My family just started a dairy free, gluten free, refined sugar free, and mostly vegan diet. It works well for us. We are already seeing a huge difference. Just because you enjoy a way of eating doesn’t mean you should bash the way other people eat. Just because someone else’s diet doesn’t work for you, doesn’t mean it is bad for everyone.

All this talk about vegan is bad for you is really ignorant to the facts. Whatever you choose your diet to be if it’s in moderation is the key.Some people have reactions to certain foods that are too quickly labled as a allergy. There are literally thousands of pages of information about the benefits of the Vegan diet. I have 3 family members that went vegan for health reasons or like my son just to be supportive of his wife. He unexspectedly lost 70lbs. Over a year’s time feels better and looks better then he ever has.He doesn’t work out and has the body of a bronze god!! Ask my daughter in law…lol. But his health and hers is fine.So there is something to be said about not opening your mouth to berate someone’s choice of eating. It makes you look ignorant when you open your mouth without facts. Just sayin..notice I did say anything bad about your choices.

Are you really trying to claim there is no scientific evidence to support the belief that eating a solid lump of animal fat is bad for the circulatory system.

I am not vegan or vegatarian. I eat meat and have absolutely no ethical problem with it. BUT that doesn’t negate my grip on reality and the need for moderation. I have drawn blood from animals who eat a high animal fat diet. It is the color of a strawberry milkshake there are so many fat globules floating around in it. Nurses tell me they see the same in humans. You don’t find this in low animal fat diets. I’m not sure the verdict is in on how healthy a solid lump of vegetable fat is either, but this is a treat, eaten occasionally, so probably not an issue.

Animal proteins are an efficient means of getting all the essential amino acids. You can’t compare a human digestive system with that of an herbivore, especially the ruminents mentioned. We just don’t efficiently digest roughage. If we want a animal protein free diet we have to work hard to insure it is well balanced and meets our protein needs. We are omivours. Our digestive track is designed to eat everything and requires high quality protein. Our problem is we have turned that into meat being the mainstay of most of our diets, We are not carnivores and that diet also leaves out many items essential to our health.

That said, even though I eat meat, please don’t try to inferthat nuts, vegetables, whole grains, etc are not good for me.just because vegetable oils have been hydrogenated to death in order to replace butter.

Besides, isn’t this website really about sharing recipes, and vegan, vegetarian or meat eater, this sounds like a very fun, tasty way to splurge on dessert. I can hardly wait to try it.

Nutrition is very complex and we are very fortunate that as humans, we can figure out many healthy eating programs.

First off, I am a huge supporter of Mr. Price Via Sally Fallon’s book, “Nourishing Traditions”. I am ALWAYS trying to convince people that real, healthy fat is better than the fake stuff- however, coconut fat is very,very, good for you as well. It just happens to be non-dairy.

Salem,
I agree. I too eat all natural foods in reasonable quantities. I think that this is the ticket. In fact I much prefer to eat a bit of butter and cream and feel good about it, then put hydrogenated trans oils like margarine into my system! My body doesn’t know what to make of that – so I stick to nice virgin cold pressed oils and butter, and I am in perfect happy and grateful to be blessed with excellent health! ;-)
All best,
Marie-France

A lot of comments stated that you should return to ‘natural’ products such as butter and cream. But if you think about it, how natural is it really to consume the breastmilk of another species? I can’t believe that we were told for generations that this counts as ‘natural’. I am not saying vegetable fats are any better, just doubting that our stomach can cope with cows milk.(someone said we shouldn’t compare ourselves to cows because they have four stomachs to digest plants. How come that we try to digest their milk then?) If you can enjoy it that’s great, to each its own, but many people have allergies or are lactose intolerant. So it’s great to have that alternative :) besides, coconut is awesome!

No kidding! I cook all the time, and I don’t read comments on epicurious that are like, “pineapple? Did you know pineapples are blah blah no evidence and doctor boobahroo actual found pineapples blah blah…”

Whether it’s true or not it’s off topic. On a recipe site comments are more useful if they refine the recipe, provide alternatives or offer feedback.

There’s one thing I’ve never liked about true vegans and vegetarians. Don’t get me wrong I love your food, I think your beliefs are really cool and mature (most of the time) but that one phrase always gets to me “we never hurt anyone”. The better phrase would be “we don’t hurt animals” (humans included in that category). Plants do feel, they have young and have been proven to communicate with them and take care of them. They have REAL emotions and can physically feel your touch and your shears. They just do things differently than walking creatures and just because they don’t talk or scream doesn’t mean that what are doing doesn’t hurt them. I believe in rights for all animals but I also believe plants deserve more respect. to be treated like they are living too (which they are, everyone knows what a dead plant looks like), we may eat them and we do, we have to eat. but to be blind and deaf enough to not acknowledge they are living and that harvest does in fact hurt them and sometimes even kills them? whether we choose to eat meat or not doesn’t matter, how we treat those we do eat, does. at least acknowledge plants are alive and feeling.

I’ve actually learned the diet of our ancestors is the most appropriate. Humans are frugivores IE. eating fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, seeds and nuts with OR without meat. meat only being consumed every now and then. Our canines aren’t long enough to be true carnivores or omnivores and our nashers aren’t large enough or shaped correctly to be true herbivores either. we’re are more in between herbivores and omnivores, the difference is we are capable of omitting meat from our diets (if we want) omnivores can’t they HAVE to eat meat. Our true diet should consist of 85% or more of plant products and the rest meat should we choose. looking at the rest of our frugivore companions the same holds true for them, some monkeys and apes will eat only plant products and some will eat meat (only what they can catch though). I think we should just pick a diet that suits our region rather than expecting every one to eat the exact same foods. some regions can’t eat strictly vegetable diets as its hard to grow food there and other can’t eat too much meat since raising animals may be difficult too.

I agree with mostly what you wrote here about not everyone should eat the exact same diet depending on their environment and situation.

However, your earlier comment about plants having feelings stumps me.
As far as I know no reputable study has ever shown that plants can “feel pain”. They lack the nervous system and brain necessary for this to happen. A plant can respond to stimuli, for example by turning towards the light or closing over a fly, but that is not the same thing. It is also hard to see what purpose pain could serve for the plant, since they can hardly run away.
I agree with you that we should treat all living beings with respect, people, animals, plants and the earth in general since it is a gift given freely to us by God to enjoy. And I also agree that plants have consciousness (in the sense they respond to positive and negative energy around them), as even water is conscious (refer to Dr. Masaru Emoto’s experiments). However, to go as far as saying plants have “feelings” and “emotions”, in my humble opinion is quite far fetched. Emotions like love, jealousy, anger, resentment, joy, guilt are felt by humans. Some emotions are also felt by animals. But it would be a very great feat to prove to me that plants can feel the joy in seeing a sunrise, the sadness in seeing their plant buddy being picked up and moved away, the jealousy towards another more beautiful flower….
Maybe science has not come to a point to be able to prove all this, or maybe I’m not understanding you correctly, but it is very hard for me to take your statement of plants having feelings into serious consideration.

Thank you Salem! The truth of eating whole food and it’s healing properties is refreshing.. Who cares who doesn’t agree! The truth will set you free to really live whole and healthy! Thank you and I will be looking for this book!

Are you kidding me? I feel bad for you. I really do. If that’s how you see veganism you’re sadly being miss informed. Go enjoy the breast milk a raped cow has produced for her baby that was taken from her at birth, fed formula while fretting for his mother then slaughtered. Veganism is a compassionate movement based on the fact that animal exploitation is just flat out wrong. It has nothing to do with sales in vegetable shortening. Wowzers.

I am an herbivore and have been my entire life. I am 45. I am extremely healthy. I am healthier than most people that I know. My grandparents, who raised dairy cows and ate meat, died young of heart problems and diabetes related causes. This caused my parents to forgo all animal products. They raised me and my siblings vegan, way before vegan was all the rage. I am thankful of this in so many ways. Whether it’s for ethical, environmental, or health reasons, vegan is the way to go, for the optimal healthy lifestyle (especially if you are very active, like myself). My children are being raised vegan and I hope they continue the tradition.

Ok hold on a sec. Did you know that most of the things our taste buds crave are not good for our bodies?! For example: salty msg flavoured chips, sugary doughnuts, white bread, KFC, mcdonalds hamburgers and other fast food items…. We tend to crave food by the extremes (salty, sweet, fatty foods.) Major food productions know this and have used it well to their advantage. Craving a particular food, does not mean that it is “naturally” healthy for you. It only means that your brain was enjoying it while eating it, and wants to experience that same amount of joy..thus sending out signals that you “NEED” to eat that really deliciously greasy French fry you had last weekend or that slice of store bought Oreo cake you consumed a few days ago.

My understanding is that we have cravings when our bodies are not getting something they need. They are craving nutrients, which are obtained through eating, and if you eat junk like you mentioned then your body will be a little confused about what’s available and how to meet its needs. I don’t eat those things and so never crave them. Sometimes I really want to eat a banana or something, but nothing at the level of craving because I eat real food. Why would your body ever truly want you to eat msg? It doesn’t get anything from that.

What we tend to forget is that we can also crave cigarettes, coffee and alkohol. It is all about what we are used to. But there are different kinds of cravings. We really need to think about our needs a little bit. I was craving chocolate once a month, turned out it was really just iron I needed. I included more lentils in my diet and had no cravings ever since. Unfortunately we can train our brain to want certain things as well that doesn’t mean that your body needs them. It is just conditioned to seek that stimulant which doesn’t need to have any nutritional value.

Well, for me the Lactose is a real trigger so the cow’s milk – raw or processed is not an option as is the case for many people who cannot tolerate dairy and gluten. So I appreciate any alternative recipes. I am actually making my own gluten free birthday cake and looking for a recipe for a not too sweet frosting at the moment.

Exactly! If you don’t have a dairy allergy or intolerance, there’s no reason to replace fat from cows milk with fat from a coconut.
Whipped cream is delicious.
However, for people who can’t have dairy, this is probably the best replacement.

May I suggest the breakdown the person had was not related to being a vegan.
Propaganda and rubbish. People have breakdowns (horrible term) for unrelieved stress of maybe illness or eating incorrect diet.
Vegan diet can be very healthy.

May I suggest the breakdown the person had was not related to being a vegan.
Propaganda and rubbish. People have breakdowns (horrible term) for unrelieved stress or maybe illness or eating incorrect diet. Or major loss
Vegan diet can be very healthy.
And well researched.
I eat whole grain whole food vegan, little oil and lots of vegetables, have done for nearly fifteen years, am 66 very fit and healthy.

If you don’t have a problem with dairy whipped cream, then why are you here? I am allergic, as are most that have seeked out this recipe. If you don’t want to make anyone else feel bad, here’s a thought, don’t!

Hi, Salem. It was nice of you to share, and I’m sure some non-vegans will appreciate it, but I think most long term vegans avoid dairy due to the animal abuse involved, with the health concerns being secondary. You’re correct about the low fat craze taking us away from healthy, saturated fats like avocado and coconut fat, of course, but this recipe uses just that.

Since you’re a reader and you recommend books for others, I’m sure you won’t mind me recommending some reading for you. This is what the Humane Society has to say about dairy: http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/farm/hsus-the-welfare-of-cows-in-the-dairy-industry.pdf Go ahead – it’s just an article – it can’t hurt you.

You may think that organic, pasture fed dairy is exempt, but no. There’s lots a reading out there and clearly you’re a good researcher, so I’ll leave you with one more easy read: http://www.alternet.org/story/145378/got_milk_a_disturbing_look_at_the_dairy_industry.

Last thought: there is a misconception about dairy being a basic food group. Only a small number of people in northern Europe evolved to tolerate milk further into their lives and they developed bovine milk as a food source. The practice spread, but the tolerance only developed somewhat. After a certain age, most of us feel much better when we stop using it.

I have read nutrition and physical degeneration, and found it fascinating, I think everyone should read it. It provides clarity from all the hype surrounding diet these days, somethings good for you one minute, bad the next. At the end of the day we are animals and should just eat what nature provides. We have lost the art of preparing foods properly, most cultures ferment their grains. Also todays mass production and soil quality means less nutrition in food.

Please do some reading, real cream is one of the healthiest fats you can eat! Do no deprive yourself of one of nature’s beautiful foods. I would venture to guess that you drink skim milk also, sad if true.

trade aid coconut milk works well – it is fair trade BPA free and even though guar gum is the only added ingredient it still separates beautifully (even in my pantry in the winter never mind the fridge)

I’ve been vegan for 6 years & I’m still coming across lovely tricks like this!

I have a funny story about whipped cream. My husband made me a gluten-free, vegan cake for my birthday (how sweet, right? especially since he is neither vegan nor gluten-free AND belongs to the sex that is typically not known for baking skills). He surprised me with the cake, beautifully topped with strawberries and…cool whip. I was thrilled he went to all the effort to make the cake so I happily ate it. Now I have a little trick to pass along, so when next birthday rolls around, he’ll be fully prepared :).

I chugged it right before leaving for a friend’s wedding that I was a bridesmaid in (!!)…and later Eric told me casually what he put in it.
Oddly enough I read an article the other day touting the health benefits of banana peels. We had a good chuckle about that!

You can do that very same thing with the can and use the same part for no-churn coconut milk ice cream! (I just bookmarked this the other day and haven’t had a chance ti try it!) vegan-magic.blogspot.com/2012/07/no-churn-coconut-chocolate-ice-cream.html

How easy and awesome is this?! I think I’m one of the only people who’s never heard of this before! I love this and would definitely prefer to use this over Cool Whip which tends to be my family’s first choice ;-) Thanks for the great tutorial!!

Andrea, here’s a little experiment that may end your family’s love of cool whip. It sure did it for me & I could eat a whole tub of it with a spoon BEFORE this… http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/horrifying-12-day-cool-whip-experiment/

I was at the grocery store last night looking for coconut milk to use for my breakfast and saw that there was Goya brand cream of coconut – which I think is just the coconut crea. I may have to try this!

thanks for coming out and sharing the secret! I must admit I should get back on to doing this more regularly again too, remembering how easy it really is. I’ve been using a can of soy whip, but it, well, taste like soya..
ps. Helene please don’t lick your screen, make the damn cream instead ! ; )

Mmm, I need to try again! Tried it recently, and it was a big-o fail. I never got all that thick stuff from the can, and no amount of beating helped. It was definitely a full-fat coconut milk, too. I’ll try a different brand.

whoa!!! how have I not known about this?! my mind has just been blown… I need to make this asap! I don’t even know what for, but even if it’s to dip my finger in it and eat straight up, I’m doing it :)

I just made whipped coconut the past weekend for a vegan apple tartin but I had a bit of trouble as I didn’t know about the flipping can bit. This was an excellent tutorial. Thank you so much. I will be using this again and again now.

Wow, I actually did not know you could make whipped cream from just a can of coconut milk! Will definitely try this out soon, and the step-by-step tutorial makes it very easy to understand, so thank you for uploading this! :)

Wow, I feel like an idiot now… I use the cream off the top of the can all the time (and of course chill it in the fridge the night before) but I never would have thought to flip it upside down and just poor the liquid off. Brilliant!

This looks great! Just a question… if you had to chill it in order to get the cream, and then used it on a cake you might have sitting out at a party or something, would the cream pretty much melt? Or does it hold its solid form after being whipped?

Thats a great question. I havent tried it, but what I would do is keep the cake in the fridge until just before serving. That way you won’t have to worry about it getting soft. Maybe even serve it on a cake stand that has been in the freezer to keep it cool? I think it would depend on the temperature of the room too. Maybe there is someone else reading who can weigh in on this question! I will be trying it for a recipe, so I will be sure to test it out.

On QVC last weekend they were selling the Vitamix. During the demonstration they made dairy whipped cream right in the blender! They just poured in some cream, blended for a couple minutes, and in came out thick and creamy! Do you think you could do this with the coconut milk?

Stacy: I can’t way whether the VitaMix would work or not. However, I have a thought for you: According to the recipe, it seems like having everything be very cold is important. The VitaMix generates a lot of heat – so much so that the company brags that you can cook right in it. I don’t know if it would get too hot to make this work or not. I just thought I would share the thought with you.

Thank you, thank you for this post! I’ve been missing something creamy like this, especially for pies and ice cream — and this will do the trick just perfect!
I’ve been so intimidated to try something like this — but I think the step by step pictures will do the trick.
I just want to go and eat this all right now!

Thank you so much!!! My oldest son has a lot of allregies, which dairy is one of them!! I can not wait to get a can and try this!! I’ll be able to make him so many more reciepies that are more like “mom and dads”…..And share it with the rest of my family!! Again, THANK YOU so much!!

So bummed I just finished the chocolate zucchini muffins before I read this because I would have totally pretended they were cupcakes.. Though now visions of maple syrup and cinnamon spiked whipped cream topping pumpkin spice muffins are starting to dance in my head….

OMG I was so looking forward to this whole experience, and bamm… a bummer can of coconuts; GOYA does not work, I was so psyked to kick off my cow-free tiramisu. Pulled out the chilled can of Goya coconut milk………..and….SPLASH!! No sludge,,,, just pure watery-white, milk. 8>(
Now on the prowl for the Native Forest brand. Does any one have any names of other brands of cocnut milk that work????? A picture of the the label ingredients from the can would be great too, in case you can’t find the exact brand, you could at least compare label ingredients, etc.
O well, the joys in the journey!!! CCC

Try Aroy-D Coconut milk “for cooking” (not the one “for desserts”) Look for what is written on the can. I found mine at a Chinese grocer. I keep these cans in my cold room (40 F) and when I open one, the entire contents of the can is solid. Haven’t tried the whipping cream yet but will soon. Thanks Angela for this great website – hubby and I went vegan two months ago – a bit of a challenge to cook meals with variety but this site has helped. I have to admit that some nights when I run out of ideas I think about the “old days” when all I had to do was throw a chicken in the oven. Seemed easier. But we HAVE NOT succumbed to the temptation. :)

Thai Kitchen is a good full fat brand – no preservatives too.
Another tip: I have been soaking dates in a little water (just enough to barely cover) overnight. In the morning, I put them in my food processor with the blade, add a little almond and vanilla extract – and it whips up into a light, sweet topping. Maybe could try going halfsies with the coconut milk and the date “cream” – so the date cream would sweeten the mixture.

Hi – I tried this tonight with Trader Joes Extra Rich and Creamy – it has Xanthum Gum and one funky Cellulous ingredient. The WHOLE can was cream – I used half and frozen the rest for the future. Added some vanilla and sweetener – was great! Made with a ‘no bake apple pie’ (found on Whole Foods’ site) – a big hit with non-vegans!

I use the Aroy-D pure coconut milk, no preservatives or guar gum etc. available at No Frills in southern Ontario. There are a few different kinds of Aroy-D and I think one or 2 might have additives, but not this one – make sure you look for the black/dark green can with no “lite” or “dessert” label.

Thanks, Gillian. I just discovered this post and I am so excited to be able to have whipped cream for Thanksgiving this year! I will pick up a few cans of Aroy-D from No Frills this weekend and put them in the fridge. :)

I have been absolutely obsessed with making whipped coconut cream for some time now. Everyone that I make it for cannot believe it isn’t dairy! And of course, look at you with the brilliant idea, I never thought to flip the can upside down. So smart. Thanks for the wonderful tip.

My friend Marla did a post on making whipped coconut cream and every time I see her pics, and now yours, I NEED to whip some up of my own. All that PUFFYNESS in that bowl, amazing, Angela…do you need help licking the beaters? :)

I’ve been waiting for this ever since you told me about it last weekend!!! (And I’ve had pavlova on the brain too… we MUST try to come up with a vegan pavlova!!) Time for me to buy some coconut milk…. this sounds heavenly!

I have easy access to fresh coconut milk so I have been making this for awhile now, straight from the coconuts at the market. I don’t have a hand mixer so I’ve been using my blender which has worked well. The last time I made it, however, I think I overdid the blending, and the stiffness totally collapsed on me and it became a runny, globby mess. So learn from my mistake, people, and don’t overdo it!

This is a really helpful tutorial. I bought coconut milk a while back to make cream from but never got around to doing it because I was scared it wouldn’t work! (Great stance, I know ;) ) I’ll move it to the fridge and get myself organised.

I like it with either maple syrup or melted honey.I tried melted chocolate once, but the chocolate went hard – kind of nice, but not the effect I was after. I think chocolate mixed with maple syrup might do it. So . very . decadent.

What a great photo tutorial!!
I am one of those people that fears buying the full-fat coconut milk. It’s not that I fear fat- I just .. I don’t know- it’s SO fatty. But if you say it’s worth it, I’m going to have to trust you…

Along the same lines of the all-powerful properties of coconuts (don’t know if you know this..), coconut oil is the key ingredient in making chocolate magic shell topping for frozen things.. between that and this whipped cream, it may be a sundae kind of a weekend! :-)

Angela!!! I’ve been reading your site forever but this is my first comment because you will never believe what the Trader Joe’s near me (St. Louis) just started carrying: cans of coconut cream! Like just the solid good stuff! Hurrah! Hopefully coming to a Trader Joe’s near you! Be on the lookout.

Also, I just started making lovely parfaits with my own dairy-free whipped cream concoction I thought I would share: soaked cashews, just enough water to cover, vanilla, a date or other sweetener, and then the best part is a drizzle of coconut oil as it’s blending to make it creamy and firm! Then after it is chilled it is a lovely texture. And super light tasting for being made of nuts. Gotta love that coconut oil! It’s a must-try, especially with juicy black plums and homemade glonola on top!!! But your coconut whipped cream is what I’m trying next, with the can of Trader Joe’s coconut cream I scored last night!

Also, when I worked at Starbucks (and wasn’t dairy-free), I learned a trick from some of the old-timers: adding a little bit of almond extract (in our case, syrup) to the vanilla in the whipped cream and it makes French vanilla! It’s divine. We broke SBUX law a few times and served it to our favorite customers with our modified recipe. They loved it too! We also had fun making chocolate whipped cream by adding the chocolate sauce, chocolate mint, and my favorite, chocolate raspberry. I ate it out of a bowl like it was mousse.

I might try a few of these again now that I’ve rediscovered vegan whipped cream! Thanks for the coconut love and very helpful tips!

Hey Ama, Thanks for your comment! That’s funny you mentioned almond extract – I JUST tried a version with vanilla and almond extract last night. It was killer! Thanks for sharing your tips. We don’t have TJ’s here in Canada, but hopefully they will trickle our way soon.

I picked up a can of coconut milk during my shopping trip yesterday and popped it into the fridge but when I went to use it this morning it was all still watery. I bought the full fat stuff, any idea why it won’t harden?

Hey Jody,
What brand is your coconut milk? Someone else had this problem below – please see my response. I think it could depend on the quality of the coconut milk? I’m not sure. I hope you have better luck next time!

OK, so there must be something wrong with me because I tried and totally failed on this one!!! I bought full fat coconut milk and chilled it over night. I turned the can upside down to open but nothing had separated at all! I’m wondering if some brands aren’t honest about how much they dilute the coconut milk because mine really had no fat separation it didn’t whip up. I used “Thai Kitchen” brand – “unsweetened, premium, first pressing” — sounds like it should have worked, right?? I’ll have to try again with a different brand.

I had the same issue w/ the Thai Kitchen brand when I tried this last night! It separated a bit, but not nearly enough as it would’ve needed to make a proper whip. I’m going to try another brand next time.

Sorry to hear that guys!! That is so strange. I just did some googling and found some interesting comments about this. Apparently, NF source their coconut from two different places and this can result in inconsistent coconut milk. I haven’t had this happen to me before, but maybe some cans are “off” depending on where it comes from? You might want to contact the company to see if there is a way to tell the difference.

I contacted the company and they verified that while they used to source from both Thailand and Sri Lanka, they now only source from Thailand (which apparently yields better quality coconuts). They also said the country of origin is found on the can if you want to verify.

Officially going out and buying 2938 cans of FULL FAT coconut milk haha!! It really has been popping up a lot lately, and now it just smacked me in the face. I need to make it, like this week, and eat it on top of peaches. That’s kind of what I envision as my first encounter with it.

I don’t know how I’m going to fit all 2938 cans into my fridge, but I’ll figure it out :P

I wanted to try this recipe this morning, together with vegan wholewheat pancakes, but there was almost no cream in my can, maybe a teaspoon. I put it in the fridge for over 48 hours… The can doesn’t say whether it is low fat or full fat, could that be why it isn’t thick the way it is supposed to be?

Now I feel forced to make that tall handsome hot chocolate… What else to do with an opened can of coconut milk? :))

Hi Angie, you can do the same with pure chocolate, a bit of water and cold bowl. Check out this mousse recipe which I also use for decorating cakes etc: http://cafefernando.com/the-best-chocolate-mousse-of-your-life-under-5-minutes/
I cannot wait trying this with coconut milk, thanks for the recipe!

I just finished making your homemade pumpkin pie and crust for mine and my husbands birthdays this weekend, they are cooling on the counter now. Me- staring down pie wondering if your stirn direction to put the pie in the fridge for a minimum of three hours was really more of a mild suggestion.
Head: “Angla knows what she’s doing, dont screw this pie up. Suck it up!”
Stomach: “Pie good! Eat pie!”

Okay that was scary. I’ll check in and see if Angela has a vegan whipped cream to distract me from the pie. Opened your homepage and this receipt was staring back at me. How cool. I will be introducing this to my inlaws and husbands family at the birthday their hosting for us. They all think Im weird because of my choice but so far I havnt made a dish they didnt like thanks to you. So let them think Im weird for obvious reasons like my twisted personality, and not my healthy lifestyle ;) . Thanks Angela.

Yummy!! Great pictures!!
I tried this a few months ago, and had no practical problems, but it was a massive fail because it tasted really awful! Sort of plasticky. I suspect it might have been that brand of coconut cream, but it has kinda deterred me from trying again. Has anyone ever tried something similar? Or have a tip for a good brand (I live in Denmark, and can’t find Native Forest)?

Thanks for the great tutorial. I will try. Your cookie dough oatmeal changed me from an oatmeal hater to a raving fan!
Last week you invited suggestions for dishes from restaurants or stores to reconstruct as vegan. Well I visited “Art and Soul” restaurant in D.C. and had two amazing dishes I would love to prepare at home One was “Dirty Rice” , a risotto with mushroom “bolongese”. And a wonderful dessert, sweet potato beignets, smaller then usual ,about the size of doughnut holes, and with two dipping sauces, chocolate and berry.
Also my favorite carnivore comfort food was corned beef hash. There are vegan burger and “chicken” patties, but I’ve never seen vegan hash.
I cook but am not creative enough to know where to begin to make my own recipes. I’m sure you could do a bang up job.
And keep those cookie dough recipes coming. I LOVE cookie dough.

blurg, I made this tonight (with Native Forest brand) and it turned out great, except I needed it to ice a 9 x 13 birthday cake and there is definitely barely enough to frost half the cake. The bummer is that this cake is being served tomorrow morning so I have no clue what to do now! Anyway, just posting this comment so that future cake-frosters can know that one can will only make enough for a single 8-inch cake. Prepare two cans if you plan to frost something bigger :/ I’m going to try buying a can at 7am tomorrow morning and throwing it in the freezer for 2 hours, hopefully everything will separate in 2 hours…?

I read your website frequently, and I just wanted to say thanks for your recipes. I love this one especially because it’s so easy lol. I’m not a vegan myself, but I still love your ideas! You’re so creative! Thanks for sharing :)

I was really excited to try this today, but my coconut milk didn’t separate in the fridge! :( It’s a Thai brand, so I’ll try it again with the brand you show here. Thanks for sharing all your amazing recipes!

Thanks for the great instructions! The days of missing whipped cream on my vegan chocolate malts are over! :-)
http://whipitupvegan.com/2012/09/09/chocolate-malt-with-vanilla-bean-coconut-whipped-cream/

Do not try to use Kroger ‘Authentic Coconut Milk’. It also does not separate. Although it doesn’t actually say light on the can, I do notice now that it must be since it has only 110 calories for 1/3 cup. I was so looking forward to this, but will try another brand.

I’ve had a few cans recently that never separated : ( wondered if you have experienced this? I did not shake them-just put them right in the back of fridge for a couple of days and when I opened then they had not separated at all-soooo disappointing! I always buy the full fat and this has happened now with 2 different brands. Any other tricks? Not sure what is going on but boy is it disappointing when you want some nice coconut whip and you open that can and it’s just all liquid : (

Hey Sarah! Yes I have heard this is fairly common from a few other readers who commented about this on here too. I wonder why that happens? I can imagine how frustrating it is!! I hope you have better luck next time. I havent had that happen to me before with my brand of choice, but I do know others have said it has happened.

Hello! I am having some troubles with my coconut milk solidifying. I am using full fat coconut milk and for some reason it is remaining liquid in its entirety! My fridge is set to 35 degrees. I have used two cans of the same brand milk to no avail. Please help!!

Hey Lia, I’ve heard that some cans are duds! If you read through the comments here, you’ll see that others have had this happen to them too. I have no idea why. Maybe it’s worth contacting the company to ask them if they know?

Hey Ange,
our four cats go crazy over coconut milk, too LOL. I only feed it to them in very small amounts, though, as a treat if you will. As soon as I open a can of coconut milk our kitchen is filled with a lot of meowing :-)
I suppose this whipped cream will go very well with a chocolate cake, yum – I thinkk I will need to spend some extra time in the kitchen this weekend….

Tis is truly amazing and delicious. It is the ultimate vegan icing I have been searching for. I added just a bit more maple syrup and used it to frost chocolate cupcakes, then sprinkled them with toasted coconut. Yum. Seriously.
I am thinking you could flavor it with almond extract, or chocolate extract (whole foods) or espresso powder for a mocha flavor. I wonder what would happen if you melted some chocolate, cooled it a little and then tried to beat it with the coconut?
This has to be the beginning for all vegan frostings.
I know many people are working on the holy grail for vegan foodies: meringue, but this is a great start!!

Thank you! I’m going to use this frost my son’s vegan chocolate birthday cake! He’s turning 2 and very intolerant of dairy! It’s nice to know that the other guests can still enjoy a yummy birthday cake! Any tips for using it as a cake frosting? And how much does one can yield? Enough for a 9×13 ‘ish cake?

I didn’t know that you could whip coconut milk but I have heard that you can whip up coconut manna. I could try this if only to find coconut milk without sugar in it, since I’m in a diabetic family and we try hard to not eat sugar laden products. Coconut manna is sugar free, I do know that much for sure.

You pictures look fantastic. I’ve added melted chocolate to mine and then popped in the fridge, the best chocolate mousse ever! I have never been able to get it to look like yours though and have followed all instructions. The last lot even started to look like it was curdling and it became more watery. Any suggestions?

Thanks Evie. It was watery before I added the chocolate though, I might try another brand and see if the same thing happens. Like the idea of using coco powder though, will be better than store bought chocolate!

One question…which is probably stupid. But does it taste like coconut? I know its made from coconut milk, therefore I assume iwilling taste like coconut, but you state you wouldn’t know it wasn’t dairy. My fiancé doesn’t like coconut….

I just tried this and it didn’t come out at ALL like yours! I live in Morocco and my shopping choices are pretty limited but I did use a can of ‘creme de coco’ but the ingredient list includes sugar, water and a bunch of stuff i can’t pronounce (never a good sign!). Is it that i don’t have real coconut cream? tx

Hi. I tried this and it didn’t whip at all. I used fresh coconut milk that I had chilled overnight in the fridge. But I spooned the cream off the top and don’t understand why it didn’t whip up. Any ideas? Thanks.

So, I tried this today, but I took the cream out of the can the night before, put it in a plastic box, mixed it with some agave sirup and left it in my fridge until today. The result was not creamy at all, it was whipped into tiny pieces! (I still made a nice dessert out of it, but it was a bit of a let-down). Is this the brand of coconut milk I used or is it really the fact that I took it out of the can the night before? I don’t want to make this mistake again!

Im sorry I am not sure. It could be the brand – I’ve tried other brands and some have been really “mealy” if that makes sense, Better luck next time! I would also leave it in the can until you are ready to use, just to be sure.

This is the most brilliant idea ever. I have a young son allergic to milk, soy, peanuts and tree nuts. I spend a lot of time modifying kid friendly and family favorite recipes so he can enjoy them too. I wanted to make my husband a chocolate silk pie for thanksgiving, but was stonewalled when I could not find an acceptable stand-in for whipped topping (even cool whip is no longer a “non dairy” whipped topping, and other options were made with either soy or tree nuts). Then I found this page. I cannot describe the joy and excitement as I made it exactly the way you showed it, and how lovely it turned out. A million thank yous for sharing this with us!! You have unlocked the door to a million things for me and my family. Bravo!!

So…. it’s Thanksgiving day and I just whipped up a new pumpkin pie recipe (gluten & vegan) and thought… hmmmmmm this really needs some whipped cream on top! Then I found this recipe, ran to the cupboard and grabbed a can of coconut milk put it in a container of ice cubes and stuck it in the refrigerator! I hope it gets cold enough by dinner time! Looks delicious!

(1) Flip the can upside down BEFORE you put it into the fridge and let it solidify upside down. That way you can open it right side up and pour off the liquid. Not all cans allow you to open the bottom of them.

(2) Do not use coconut milk that has any other ingredients besides coconut milk and water. The other ingredients are what make it not solidify correctly.

(3) Blending a can of coconut milk (the whole thing) with one can of crushed pineapple and putting it into an ice cream freezer makes wonderful pina colada sorbet.

I’ve been trying to make this recipe, but my coconut milk will not separate!!!! I put mine in a glass jar in the fridge overnight so that I could see if it is separating and it’s not. I bought “Thai Kitchen, Unsweetend Coconut Milk” and the only ingredients in it are coconut milk and guar gum. I know guar gum is an emulsifier, so maybe this is what is preventing it from separating, but I didn’t think it would do that good of a job.

Hi there, Others have this problem occasionally too and I really don’t know why it happens! I havent experienced that yet, but Ive heard it can be fairly common. I hope you next trial goes better. I have also heard you can buy the coconut cream?

This doesn’t apply to whipped cream specifically, but I always have trouble with the taste of coconut milk from a can–it tastes metallic to me. Is that just me? Does the brand make a difference? Does the sweetener mask the taste enough? It is usually fine for me if I use it in baked goods or if it is the coconut milk “beverage” in a box, but I hesitate to try this recipe because I’m afraid I’ll taste the can. Am I the only one with this problem?

OK, so stupid question for you. If you put the cans in the frig upside down, would the watery part be on the top, so you can open from the top and pour off the liquid? Reason I ask is that some cans are hard to open with the new style openers, as they are rounded unlike the top (haven’t bought a can yet, so not sure if this is the case for what I can get here). thanks!

Over the summer, I tried making coconut whipped cream with the wrong kind (less fat) and it was a sad, epic failure. Now that I’ve gotten over it, I’ve been stocking up on cans of the good stuff for a couple weeks every time they come on sale.

I just made it now and words cannot describe it. I’m forever changed. :)

I love your site! I had a problem with this working, though. I chilled the can for twenty-four hours and when I opened the can, it hadn’t even begun to separate. I’m now processing it in the hopes that it will be whipped after some time in there. What happened? Thanks.

Hey Wren, If you read some of the other comments, this has happened to ohers. I don’t know why that happens, but it seems like some cans just don’t harden up like they should. I would contact the brand to see if they know why this happens.

Thanks, Angela! You’re probably right about it being the brand. I’ll try a different one next time. Incidentally, processing it made it fluffy like whipping cream but then I ruined the batch by putting way too much agave in. It was a watery mess! Oh well… trial & error. Anyway, thank you again… for your response & for this great website!

Okay, this time I used the Native Forest brand, and I chilled it for two days in the fridge. It still did not separate. I decided to process it again anyway. I didn’t use any agave, vanilla or anything else this time, and it still wound up watery & chunky. Actually, first it was fine, almost whipped, but then it must’ve reached a mixing threshold or something because it fell apart. I’m baffled. Do you think I should freeze the can instead? I’m about to just throw my hands up at the whole thing.

I’m wondering… I can’t find the coconut milk in cans, I don’t think they sell them at my store, but there is the stuff the comes in a big juice carton thing.
Is it possibly to do something like this with that?

Hello, just wanted to let you know I tried your recipe and it was awesome!! I can’t eat regular whipped cream anymore… I used this as a whip topping for a haupia coconut pudding dessert (a Hawaiian dessert) for my Adult English class in Japan. It was a hit!! The Japanese students loved it too. I had no problems making this. I used Chaokoh coconut milk and I froze my coconut cans for about 4 hours in the freezer. The coconut liquid nicely separated and became “slushy ice” so it was easier to separate that from the coconut cream. Then just whipped up the cream with a hand mixer. Came out perfect! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. :)

Great recipe! Looking forward to giving it a whirl. I am going to make a coconut cream pie and would like to use this as a stand-in for the traditional whipped topping. I’ll whip it up, add a touch of vanilla and some coconut extract and put a healthy amount on the filling and form a dome. I’ll use the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula to create some peaks, I’ll then sprinkle some coconut flakes that i will have already roasted and pop it in the oven to give the peaks a golden brown color. My questions…… roughly, what’s the yield of whipped cream per 1 can of coconut milk? Will it cover my pie or do you feel that I would need second can? Secondly, will the coconut whipped cream stand up in the oven?
Thank you for sharing your recipe and thanks in advance for your response.
bob

I’m about to try this recipe today to top off some deserts….*fingers crossed* wish me luck…I’m from the Caribbean so I’m hoping the brand I use doesn’t affect it particularly in the warm climate. I was thinking honey to sweeten….is that ok?

Hi, My chilled tin of coconut cream seperated into 3 layers. Milk, cream and a very solid oil layer. Is the oil good for cooking with? The tin states it contains stabalizer and thickener.
I was making a delicious choc. mousse that i found on the link below. And decided to research to find out what the solid layer is.

Good idea to shake the can and see if it sounds solid, because if it sounds too swishy it won’t separate. I think I just learned another tip the hard way: read the ingredients, and if it has “emulsifiers” in it, it won’t separate either. (As I understand, that is the purpose of emulsifiers.)

Loved your pretty step by step tutorial so much that I just couldn’t resist trying my hand at this yummy vegan whipped cream. It was so lightning quick to make and easy anyone can and should make this! So much healthier and yummier than the store bought stuff!! It is now chilling in my refrigerator and will be topping my hot chocolate tonight since it is freeeezing here in Los Angeles! Can’t wait! Thank you, I loved this!

Help! I used a can of coconut cream , it was nice hard already , added the powdered sugar and vanilla , but it did not whip!!! In fact it became soft , grainy and after a while i was beating it , it separated !!!! What did I do wrong?????

Hi Angela – Was really excited to try this out. But I had the same problem as many others who have commented here – it wouldnt separate. The weird thing is that I bought the exact brand that you have in the pictures. I’m just curious – does yours have guar gum in it? Mine did – maybe it has guar gum in it in the US and not in canada? I’m thinking this may be the culprit…

I didn’t want to mess up, so I tried it with the can anyway (the whipped cream mattered to me more). Like others, it didn’t work for me.

—- Mine didn’t contain an emulsifier. It did, however, have a antioxidant and preservative. It also was not BPA-free.

I found an article that kind of talks about separation of canned coconut milk, but since that brand worked for you, I don’t really believe it completely.
http://www.thetastyalternative.com/2011/09/separation-conundrum.html

So I just made this tonight to put on my mother in laws birthday cake tomorrow… and it worked pretty well! but mine is definately not as fluffy as yours! Is it possible to over beat it? Im thinking maybe thats what happened? But it was tricky because everytime I added more sugar I needed to re-beat it.It took awhile to get it sweet enough because I also added cocoa powder! What do you think??

Angela, I found your website recently, and really appreciate your wonderful recipes and how-to tips, including this in particular because I started cutting out milk (lactose) but miss whipped cream. I found coconut cream at Trader Joe’s, tried the recipe, and LOVE it. So easy. So yummy.

Hi, Angela! Thank for this recipe and all the others. Quick question: what constitutes a full-fat coconut cream/milk? I can only find one of the many different brands that lists its ingredients as “60% coconut extract, water”, while all the others do not show the percentage. The price varies enormously, too: coconut milk (watery inside when I shake it) can sell for 0.79 or the “cream” (doesn’t slosh around in the can when I shake it) can sell for 3.79. Are some coconut milks actually the coconut cream version, if the price is higher?

I’m sad! I bought Whole Foods brand (full fat) coconut milk with plans for making this decadent treat for a special dinner with my husband. He works 2nd shift, so we don’t get to have dinner together often. I refrigerated as explained, but when I went to our the liquid part out I got a HUGE disappointment! There was NO SEPARATION! My car in in the shop for maintenance, so I have no way to replace it before dinner. If you see this message today, please offer any suggestions you may have! Dang it man! :(

Hey Mrs Kelly, So sorry to hear that :( I don’t know why but some brands don’t separate! If you read through some of the comments in this post you’ll see that you arent the only one with this problem. I’ve never had this issue before, so it’s quite disappointing to hear.

Hi Renee, I’ve tried it as a filling for a layered cake and the layers wouldn’t stick together and kept sliding off…it wasn’t ideal! I think a layered cake filling needs a spread that’s more tacky like a jam or sticky frosting. Let me know if you try anything!

I tried making this 4 times with full fat native forest and 1 time with full fat whole foods. Two of the times with Native Forest it was all liquid, no solid, when I opened. The whole foods brand…same thing. The two times it has worked, it was A-Mazing, but it’s been so hit or miss and then I don’t always have another reason to use the opened milk. It’s a bummer. Any thoughts on why this may be happening?

Thanks for your reply, Angela, and I’d considered that, but then disregarded it as an accurate method because, per serving, in the cream of the can only, you’re getting a lot less carbs by leaving out the more sugary coconut water, and a lot more fat by using only the fat. I’m guessing a more accurate method may be just using the nutritional info for coconut oil (pure fat)?

Oh my goodness! You have NO idea how much this post helped me! I am enjoying my new clean lifestyle but my biggest road block is not knowing what these ingredients ARE. You totally helped with my “coconut milk fat” problem :)

I tried making this just now- my brother had a pineapple and my mum brought some full-fat coconut cream, so I thought, why not? Anywho, tasting the coconut cream unflavoured was good on its own, so I was exited to add the vanilla extract- big mistake! It was ‘Vanilla Extract’ but not pure vanilla extract as I assumed: it is mainly water, alcohol and sugar and only 3% vanilla! I added the sugar but it has a strong taste of alcohol and wondered if you could help!

What happened?? Can someone help. I bought the same brand mentioned here, full fat, and it has been in the fridge for 2 weeks. I just opened it and it was NOT separated! Very strange, I don’t under stand it. I noticed that ther is Guar gum in the ingredient list , which I thought was strange when I bought it. Could that have made a difference? So dissapointed. I try whipping it anyway. Thanks.

Hi, and thanks for this recipe. I made it for the first time today and… it split! Does this usually happen? Why does this happen? Mine didn’t turn out like your picture :( Any tips gratefully welcome!
Thanks
Monique

I was a food science major in college and feel the need to tell you people this, but please look at the nutritional facts before doing this!!! Coconut milk and therefore, coconut cream is very very high in saturated fats. In fact, the FDA and other government-based agencies do not recommend consuming it in large quantities. Coconut oil is almost as bad as the palm oil that movie theaters use on their popcorn. I understand that some people are all about “all-natural” and don’t line additives or processed foods but “all-natural” doesn’t always mean that its good for you. Nature gave us cocaine, marijuana and a whole slew of deadly plants and toxins. While it is reasonable to use this as a whipped cream once in a while, especially for those who are lactose/dairy intolerant, it is not recommended to consume this regularly. Also, coconut is an integral part of Polynesian diets (i.e. Hawaiian or Filipino) and the have ridiculous high rates of heard disease due to the over consumption of food rich in saturated fats. You won’t believe how many recipes for coconut-cream based frostings/whipped creams appear on Pinterest, but I would just like to warn you all before you wreak havok on your heart and your LDL cholesterol levels.

*Also, @Jen, guar gum is an emulsifier and generally aids to prevent the separation of fats and liquids, it might be the reason why you are experiencing difficulty making this recipe, but if you read my post, perhaps that’s not such a bad thing.

1) Yep, cococnut milk is a great substitute for animal milk and cream in many recipes because of its high fat contents. You can make a great ice cream, for example, with cream of coconut instead of cream (or eggs).

2) However, claims that it is much healthier than cream are highly exaggerated. That’s because most of its fat is saturated fat, the kind that is reported to clog your arteries. Unlike most vegetable fats, coconut fat solidifies at room temperature (and especially when cold), which is always abad sign. Polyunsaturated fats, like those n olive oil, remains liquid at room temperature. Because of this, coconut is only marginally healthier than cow’s cream. That’s because there is no cholesterol. On the flip side, coconut cream also lacks healthy components such as calcium and Vitamin A. So if you decide to make whipped coconut cream, do so for the taste or phlosophical reasons (i.e. being vegan), but not for health reasons.

BTW, if anyone wants to do a comparison of the two, do so honestly and accurately (I design medical studies for a living). Many people mistakenly look at the nutrition label for both, and then draw conclusions. Not good. As you can see from this excellent blog entry, coconut milk is mostly water but the can’s label reflects the entire can — not just the solid cream. On the other hand, the label for heavy cream is pretty much entirely fat (fat calorie = entire serving calories). So if you want to make comparisons, you need to get info for the cream only.

3) Those who claim that a vegetarian diet is necessarily healthier are incorrect. The jury is still out, and it’s unclear what components of the vegetarian diet is healthier. Metastudies do indeed show that vegetarians seem to have lower morbidity and mortality, but that’s misleading. Vegetarians in Western countries also tend to be wealthier, have better health care, exercise more, etc. For those same reasons, meat eaters will be healthier in developing countries because they are the wealthier ones with better health care and nutrition. Only the poor will be living exclusively on grains and vegetables,

It’s also unclear whether it’s the vegetables vs meat that is important. It may simply be based caloric restriction. Studies on low calorie diets show that caloric restriction itself results in lower morbidity and mortality. So it may simply be that consuming fewer (unused) calories is the key, regardless of where the calories come from. Of course, you’d generally feel much fuller getting those calories from vegetables since you can eat much more with fewer calories.

All this is confused by two recent findings. It was long believed that high fat diets, especially those with animal fats, were harmful cardiovascuarly. Shockingly, studies of high fat diets such as Atkins (lots of ANIMAL fats) over the last few years have shown *nearly* the OPPOSITE. Not only did the high fat group lose weight [more rapidly?], but they also had BETTER triglyceride and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels than the low fat group! And this was repeatedly shown in several studies over the year. Indeed, it may be healthier than high carb diets, which can describe some vegetarian diets, While these findings are important (because they were repeated, thus consistent), it is still unknown what the long term effects are. For examlple, would the high fat group have higher mobidity 30 years later? And while this seems to suggest that high fats, inluding animal fats, may not affect cardiovascular health adversely, some studies still suggest that it increases some cancers and possibly, Alzheimer. I do not know if these apply to all fats or just anmal fats.

Finally, a fascinating study came out two weeks ago showing why foods such as red meat, cheese and eggs are harmful — and it has nothing to do with the foods themselves. Apparently, natural bacteria in our guts release a substance that causes inflammation throughout our body in the presence of those food. SInce these bacteria are a healthy part of our body and helps in our digestion, they’re not something we want to eliminate. I have not analyzed the study yet so I don’t know whether it looked at other foods, including vegetables.

A final thought: While a proper vegetarian diet may be healthier for some, there’s no denyng that it’s unnatural for humans. I often hear the argument that elephants and gorillas are herbivores yet they show no lack of strength. That ignores the fact that their anatomy and physiology are optimized for a vegetable diet while ours are not. Optimization takes hundreds or thousand of years of evolution, and not just a few weeks of adjustment as some vegetarians claim. Sure, you can live healthily as a vegetarian, but don’t tell us that it’s optimum or better.

That we are not meant to be vegetarians [vegans] is proven by the fact that we are mammals, and designed to be reared on breast milk. As adults, we need pretty much the same nutrients except that we now can chew, thus have the option to seek it elsewhere including vegetables. But that doesn’t change the fact is that our teeth and bodies are designed for omnivorous living so generally speaking, a balanced diet based on meat, vegetable and grains is healthiest for most people. It’s certainly tastier and easier to maintain — and more accessible for most Westerners.

How long and on what speed did you mix this? I’ve tried a few times, making sure everything was chilled and no liquid snuck in, but I still couldn’t get it to whip nicely. It was thick and hard like yours out of the can but beating it just seemed to get it liquidy again and it just wouldn’t get there. Still used it, tastes amazing, just was a bit runny :(

Thank you SO much for this tutorial. I have had *fantastic* success following your directions. I even found the Native Forrest brand at a local store. I have had 8 out of 9 cans separate nicely, though with varying amounts of solid left behind – as you warned about. I usually purchase and open 3 cans at a time just to make sure I will have enough for whatever project I need it for.

This last time, on a whim, I also purchased another brand, “Natural Balance”? or something like that. It was a fraction of the cost of native Forrest and claimed to also be organic and BPA-free. Interestingly enough, the ingredients were quite different. The only ingredient in the Natural Balance can was something like “coconut extract”. The ingredients in the Native Forrest brand (from memory) included products like: coconut milk, guar-gum, etc. But the Native Forrest has worked multiple times and the other one did not work at all.

Sadly, the results were terrible with the Natural Balance brand. It did separate, but the solids were grainy. And the taste was terrible!!!! Natural Balance had a burnt?? or bark-like?? taste to it, while the Native Forrest brand has a light and very slight coconut taste. I tried whipping up the solids from the Natural Balance can anyway just to see if I could whip out the graininess. Nope. Even when leaving the stand mixer on high for at a good 5 or more minutes, the results were still grainy. And still tasted horrible.

Using Native Forrest: I have had great success whipping up this whipped topping as you directed in the tutorial and then slapping it as-is as frosting on a double-layer chocolate cake. It worked perfectly, tasted so good, and looked so pretty. People loved it and were surprised that it was dairy free.

I’ve been doing this for years: I add a few dollops of well-chilled coconut cream into whipped cream, which then I use to top my tiramisu. I have yet to meet people who don’t like my tiramisu. It’s to die for. People keep asking me why my homemade tiramisu is way better than those in cake shops.

My full fat coconut milk was in the fridge for more than 24 hours and didn’t solidify:( Perhaps it was a dud? It did thicken a bit, but not nearly enough, and there wasn’t the liquid on the top of the can when I flipped the can over as usual. I scooped it out and stuck in the freezer. Fingers crossed!

hello, just wondering how long does the whipped coconut cream last for? I need to decorate a cake with an icing that is alernative of buttercream and fondant. The cake will be going out doors for approximately1-2 hours? Will it be safe? It’s currently winter here and I am hoping that this coconut whipped cream answers my prayers. Thank you in advance.

Hi Jimmy, Unfortunately it has to be kept refrigerated until ready to serve, so I don’t think it would stand a chance outdoors for so long, but I’m really not sure. I’ve used it as a frosting for a layer cake and I found the layers slipped off (b/c it’s not sticky like normal icing is) so keep that in mind too. It should be fine for a single layer. Maybe give it a test drive before hand? Good luck!

YIPPIE……..FINALLY able to get this to work!!! I almost gave up since it wasnt hardening. I left my Organic Native Forest coconut milk in the back of my fridge for about 8 days. I just took it out to make some fudgcicles for my daughter. When I opened it up I had the watery liquid on top and almost 3/4 of it was solid. I put it in the mixer quickly and whipped it up with some stevia and it came out Wonderfully majestically delish!

The key to living healthy lifestyle is knowledge about nutrition. Knowing what carbs, fats, sugars, alcohol do to your body will give you a clear picture of what foods you need to eat. You will be surprised to find that meat and diary are actually terrible for your body ,and can be easily replaced by plant based nutrition. Another thing is to learn the difference between animal based nutrients and plants based once. How your body reacts to them and finally how much is actually absorbed. If you constantly feel hungry and find yourself snacking all day that’s your body’s way of telling you its starving for nutrients. Anyway, good reference to check out are a couple of films that will help you understand the difference..’Forks Over Knives’, ‘ Fat Sick And Nearly Dead’, ‘Vegucated’.

Hey, chilled my cans over night, and I’m using the Native Forest Organic, but there was little to no separation. It did eventually solidify into whipped cream, but it’s not as thick or stiff as i wanted it. Any suggestions? I was thinking maybe it didn’t chill completely.

I have tried this with six different cans of coconut milk and have had no luck. I have used both native forest and thai kitchen and neither will separate. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG? Does this recipe only work about five percent of the time? I have not shaken the cans at all and they were left in my fridge numerous days. I’m very disappointed.

I have a quick question. My boyfriend was so ecstatic to make your pumpkin pie smoothie with the whipped cream he went right out and bought the ingredients–however when we tried to whip the coconut cream, it didn’t ever get fluffy, and eventually deteriorated into chunks…We followed the directions to a T.

Do we just need nicer beaters? I’m not sure how great the ones we have are (family gift) and I’m struggling to figure out if we did something incorrectly or just have to have nicer equipment.

Hey Yaz, Unfortunately cans of coconut do not seem to be consistent across brands (or even across cans within the same brand) – take a look at the comments in this post and you’ll see you are not the only one this has happened to. It’s very sad!! Some ppl say they have good luck with Thai Kitchen brand, so maybe try that next time.

Hey Beverly, Sometimes cans are duds and I don’t know why. It’s happened to me recently – read over others comments, you are certainly not the only one this has happened to. I wonder if it has something to do with summer heat because I didn’t have an issue in the winter before.

just wondering if coconut milk or coconut cream would be better for the recipe? when making making whipped cream we use heavy cream not milk, please let me know. my sons birthday is Saturday, and is exclusively breastfeed, and a coconut whipped topping would be wonderful for his cake :) and being so close to the date I don’t have too mush time to experiment!

also I plan to pipe with it, but will try it out before doing the actual cake. the wave look is a option if that doesn’t work. I’m doing a Elmo mold cake for him and using organic beets, saffron, and carrots for the red and orange colors to tint since we don’t use artificial coloring. the black parts for his eyes I probably will get creative with non edible somethings. next question is have you made your deserts and frozen them ahead of time with the coconut topping and had them turn out fine for your event?

My kids and I just tried this! We are not big coconut fans so I didn’t know if it was going to work…added some sweetener, vanilla and cocoa powder…yummy!! It almost had a coffee flavor and was super delicious! Thank you for yet another option of yummy food for my family :)

So bummed! Used the EXACT same brand, and it didnt work! I even bought two cans in case I messed up the first one. It’s the native forest CLASSIC, and both are watery. Stuck one can in the freezer to see if maybe it didnt get cold enough over night?

I have done this a few times in the past year. However, it has not always worked. I have used several brands and the one that has worked most often is Thai Kitchen Full Fat Organic Coconut Milk. But still this one has not always worked. Sometimes I have a lot of hard fat to work with, sometimes just a little, and other times the fat doesn’t separate at all from the water. It is not very cheap so I don’t like having to gamble with it. Any idea what could influence whether it separates or not? (each time I have left it at least 12 hours in the fridge before opening)

I found this also works great using an immersion blender. I put the entire can of coconut milk into the container without separating the liquid. I threw in some cooked butternut squash I had in the fridge and blended them together with the immersion blender. It was really quite delicious and thick like whipped cream. I realize the squash part could be seen as really weird, though!

I’ve tried this twice and failed. I never get the thick cream that you do and I leave it in the fridge for two days. Then when I whip it, it’s still a liquid. What is the fat content of the brand you’re using? I may just have to order your same brand from Amazon.

But I love, love, love all your recipes. They have been such a tremendous blessing to my family since our daughter was diagnosed with egg, dairy, and peanut allergies!

Please help… I used Chaokoh coconut milk, and this didn’t work AT ALL! Just a bunch of sweet, white, watery stuff in my mixer. Gross! I followed the directions explicitly, aside from the brand. I cannot find the previously mentioned brands in my area, and I’m very close to Thanksgiving and no whipped cream. Can someone offer an alternative suggestion?

All I can say is WOW! This is absolutely AMAZING! The vanilla really gives it the perfect taste, and you would never know it’s dairy free. Thank You for this recipe, it’s so incredibly easy and delicious!! =)

I tried it today and it was very good, but I have one question. I followed the insructions exactly but when I opened the can and poured out the liquidy part, the thick part still wasn’t nearly as thick as yours is in the photo. No way could I scoop it out with a spoon. I had to pour it although it was thicker than normal. Took a long time to whip up too. I did leave it in the fridge overnight. Could it be my frig temperature is not as cold as yours? Any ideas on this? I really want to keep using this idea because it tastes so good.

tried this yesterday to go on my GFDF pumpkin pie. Used the Thai Kitchen full fat kind. There wasn’t very much of the solid cream in it even after refrigerating over night. Used what I could. It whipped ok. But it tasted weird. I added vanilla but the coconut flavor still came through and not in a good way. It also had a slight burnt taste. Maybe if I add cocoa to it i can turn it into something else. But the pumpkin pie is definitely better without it!

i was thinking of making a fruit dip thought id whip some coconut cream and try to fold in some raw fresh goat cheese, vanilla bean, honey and maybe a bit of beet juice to tint it pinkish(for a girls night it) Any one have any tips or reservations that it would hold up?

After reading nearly EVERY comment here, I was a bit skeptical but really wanted to try this. I couldn’t get any coconut milk in time to “test” before Thanksgiving dinner, but tried it for the first time with a housefull of hungry house guests at Thanksgiving dinner time…
It worked BEAUTIFULLY!
I tried it again two days later, different brand, different can, it STILL worked. Then tried it again tonight with yet a third brand and it worked yet AGAIN!
Seriously? Read her instructions folks…
Get coconut milk (or cream) that is PURE coconut milk and not ANY fillers, thickeners, gums, emulsifiers, ANYTHING else…
PUT IN THE FRIDGE for at least two or three days – a VERY COLD FRIDGE (but not freezer).
Tip the can, after it’s been in the fridge a day or two – can you hear “sloshing”? Or does it sound “solid”? It needs to sound almost “solid” with maybe a tiny gurgle. NOT like it’s full of liquid.
Scoop out ONLY the solids. They should be almost the texture of butter or they won’t work.
If you have all of the above – you WILL get beautiful whipped coconut milk.

Actually Toby is correct. A diet rich in vegetable oils is not a healthy one. And it is absurd to claim that eating meat and other animal products in unhealthy – humans have been doing it for 2.5 million years. Just look back at the historical record to see what foods people have been eating for the longest time and this will give you a clue as to what our bodies need and respond well too. I assure you that the poisonous soybean is not on that list and that eggs, meat, honey, goat/sheep/cow milk and other non-vegan items are. In any event, a diet is not healthy or unhealthy simply because it either is or isn’t vegan. I have known plenty of junk food vegans who stuff their faces with refined sugars, artificial fats, deep fried snack foods and all sorts of other empty calories and heavily processed foods. And yes, there are plenty, even more, consumers of animal products who are likewise gorging on processed burgers and other crap. Actually, the meat and dairy is probably the best part of those people’s diets! In either case, a healthy diet, whether vegan or omnivorous, is not the norm in most countries today. I live in the French countryside and am lucky enough to have a huge range of local and natural foods available. So, I choose to eat ethical and sustainable meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey, as well as a lot of vegetables and a little fruit. I don’t eat very much in the way of grains, pulses or other starchy carbs. It is obvious that these came into the human diet much, much later as did anything which must be cooked first. The problem with most vegan diets is that they rely heavily on these foods – rice, bread, pasta, pulses – which are not easily digested and do not contain much nutrition. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry when I see self-righteous vegans downing gallons of soy milk and acting superior because they don’t drink the real stuff. I am a huge advocate of dairy – it’s not only delicious but very healthful – as long as its not from some factory farm and stuffed with hormones and antibiotics. The only reason humans developed big brains and got to the point where they could even consider the impact of their diet on the environment and other creatures is BECAUSE they ate meat in the first place! This is a scientific fact and anyone denying it simply hasn’t done their research. Our cavepeople ancestors weren’t going to McDonalds, but they most definitely were eating red meat. There isn’t a native culture on the face of this earth that has rejected animal products. It is a purely white people, urban, modern, reactionary movement. Having said all that and returning to the purported subject of this blog page – I do love and advocate the consumption of coconut cream! Humans have certainly been eating coconuts forever and a day and coconut oil is one of the few healthy vegetable oils as it requires very little processing. Veganism is just a modern day religion and it’s no better than any of the rest of them; its foundations are highly emotional and illogical and most vegans cannot tolerate a fact-based dialectic and get red in the face and vitriolically defensive when their ideology is threatened.

“The only reason humans developed big brains and got to the point where they could even consider the impact of their diet on the environment and other creatures is BECAUSE they ate meat in the first place! This is a scientific fact…”

Hmmm…I’d like to hear your sources. I suspect this is extremely simplistic view of evolution. Wild canids and felids also are carnivores but did not become “human”.

Irregardless of personal opinion of which everyone has one (Isn’t there a little saying about people and their opinions?) It appears to be a fantastic recipe which gives everyone more options when cooking or baking. Especially those with food allergies. Thank you so much for sharing :)

I would love to try this for my Dad, who had a heart attack a few years ago and his doctor has forbidden him from high-fat foods like cream. He used to adore whipped cream and I’d love to find a good alternative for him. The thing is, it sounds like this would retain it’s coconut-flavour, which is fine if you’re eating it on something that would pair well with coconut, but not all things go well with that taste. I was just wondering, is it a strong coconut taste? Is there a way to cover it and get it more of a neutral-creaminess?

Ugh! Didn’t work :( Was hoping to serve this over our vegan pumpkin pie at last night’s Christmas Eve dinner, but the milk was a uniform consistency…it’s didn’t separate at all. It had been in the fridge over 24 hours. Used the same brand as that shown in your photo. Oh well…guess I’ll be making a curry tomorrow!

Hi there! Love your website! I was just wondering if the coconut milk doesn’t “whip” at all if it has emulsifiers? I live in Iceland and the only brand of coconut milk i can find here is from Thai Pride and has emulsifying agents. Is there any way i could make that work?

I could not find canned but carton coconut milk. I know I will end up with a lot more but will send it home with the person I am making it for. My question is will it still work? I didn’t see low fat on it. Thanks!

I had my eyes wide opened when I found your webpage and by the end of the tutorial I could sympathize with drooling dogs : ) as it sure reads and looks yummy.
I live in Israel and I do not know what kinds of coconut milk I find here. I know I have two cans in my one little cabinet pantry, but I have no idea what happens when I chill them and wait for the night to see whether the solids and the liquids separate to create the cream.
With Passover just around the corner (O.K I exaggerate a little, there are still 2 month to go until then) I could ‘play’ with the whipped cream (thinking positive only) and create no flour goodies. Or at least this will be a good opportunity to start creating. (Yeah, for not dairy food!!!) Thank you very much.

hi i just coconut whipped cream last week for 1st using your recipe and it came out awesome and love the taste!!! :) also most of It to make frozen blueberry yogurt pie! that taste good to . thanks for recipe . here link to pin of i made pinterest.com/jaygamerman/stuff-i-made/

Thanks for those simple but stupendous tricks…turn the can upside down, leave in fridge overnight and freeze bowl x 15″. I’ve never read that before, made whipped stuff before but it suffered immensely and I mourned greatly. That’s the most enlightening advice that I’ve received from your website. No need to reply.

Hello,
I was dying to try and make that whipped cream. I ran and finally bought ‘coconut cream’ in my local natural food market. Yet, I remembered you said something about NO emulsifiers and I could read on that can so many ingredienes that I thought I should consult with you, before trying to chill and whip it with no success.
Kindly assist me regarding the following ingredients, I hope you know about them more than I do or at least whether the would damage or benefit the coconut whipped cream:
1. Coconut liquid 68% (guess that means it is full fat)
2. water (?)
3. Guar gum as a thickener and ‘stabilizer’ (?)
4. Polyoxyethylene Sorbitane monostarate (would that be emulsifier?)

Guess that goes back to the store it came from….
It is strange, as instead of writing all ingredients in English it is written as an English word in Hebrew letters (phonetically) and I wonder whether that was in order to hide something. . .

I recently turned mine into a key lime frosting for my vegan almond cupcakes. The flavor combo was divine. All I did was add 2 table spoons of key lime juice and a table spoon of lime zest. Such vegan yum!

Looks delicious. Glad it’s dairy and gluten free. I just went to the nutritionist this week. She reinforced me staying away from dairy, gluten, and, unfortunately nuts, but I’m sure one slip to make this delicious cream would work!.

Angela
Thank you for sharing your amazing gift with those of us who are not so creative as you. The recipes have helped immensely in me being able to maintain a healthy plant based diet. I am wondering if homemade coconut milk would work in this recipe and would the process be the same.
Thanks.

I was making a five layer coconut mango mini cake for Easter this year and the icing recipe called for light corn syrup. I immediately decided to look for a new healthier frosting recipe and came across your blog. Let me tell you this is going to be my new go to recipe for a whipped frosting! I did use the new Native Forest with the guar gum. I left the cans in the fridge for 2 days and the water did separate out. I ended up using 2 cans plus vanilla extract and sugar to yield enough to cover the cake. I put the mixing bowl and the beaters into the fridge for a few hours as well. The light and fluffy frosting is amazing! My mom who hates any type of frosting loves this one. Thanks so much for posting this.

This looks delicious! I followed all your steps to a T, unfortunately I did not get enough for a 10″ round cake. Your photos show about double what my one can yielded. I used Goya brand, no guar gum but there must be some other ingredient present that prevented it from whipping up fluffy and with lots of volume. :(

Hi. Is your whipped cream grainy? I used the same brand canned coconut milk as pictures above. The taste is GREAT! I don’t mind the texture but was wondering if it is supposed to be velvety smooth or not. I even love the taste before adding a T of Organic Powdered Sugar and 1/8 t of vanilla.

Sadly I had to become very ill to really learn food in a way I never have before…. and yes over doing anything is bad…. I have super bad oxalate issue…. I was eating nuts and spinach and green tea thinking I was eating a healthy diet…. as I grew sicker and sicker and I continued to search for answers. I’m healing now since cutting out a lot of greens, nuts and green tea out. These were all huge factors in my health deteriorating. There’s more to it like leaky gut issues…. infections etc. The bottom line is learning your own body keeping a journal as annoying as it is…. can help detect how different foods cause you to react. It can get confusing cause if you have yeast issues or parasites which most of us do…. things like coconut can cause die off symptoms…. being antifungal can make you sick as a result of killing off Candida and other pathogens. So getting a stool test is helpful also. My point is…. I thought I was eating a super healthy diet…. I didn’t touch butter in years. I’ve been gluten free… never smoked drank… I worked out and ate the foods believed to be healthy…. and I’m the sickest person I know. I actually got major relief from a lot of symptoms since cutting out high oxalate food’s. We’re also encouraged to take high doses if vitamin C for the immune system…. and vitamin is high oxalate and so many other things you wouldn’t believe that you think are doing your body good… and well that’s why balance is key from what I learned. Also protein aides in detoxing… keeping your body properly detoxing is also vital to health…. so meats also have their place. Butter and cream btw as well as coconut are all super low to no oxalate. So my discovery on my journey to wellness… learning your body, genetic history and to remember what is good for one person is poison for another. If you are consuming high quantities of certain greens and green tea you are likely to put yourself at risk for kidney stones and other complications. If I could do things over I wouldn’t be afraid if butter…. that us definitely not what landed me to be homebound…. I never ate the stuff…. I also failed to have balance. Trust your gut litterally! Blessings to you all ;-)

I just moved to a new town with a Trader Joes (!!!) and was walking through and saw a can of coconut cream. I remember seeing a recipe on your site using it (and your recipes are always winners!) so I picked it up and googled OSG+coconut cream and found this! Can is going in the fridge for coconut cream on baked oatmeal tomorrow morning! I’ll likely freeze 1/2 of the can since it’s just for me, but I am looking forward to it. Thanks for all your time and effort on these recipes, Angela!

I am very interested to try this recipe, cause I do a lot of raw ‘unbaking’ (if you know what I mean). However I avoid as much as possible cans or tins or anything processed for that matter of fact. I’ve made coconut milk from scratch many times, using a whole coconut and it’s absolutely delishhhhh!!! When you do that, the fat rises on top and depending on the size of the coconut, you can get a good amount of that fat. Could I use that instead of the coconut fat from cans? I would appreciate your answer. Thanks.

Hi – I tried using two cans of Natural Value coconut milk. I put the cans in the refrigerator overnight, and took just the hard stuff on top, but the second I turned on the mixer, it was all liquid. Everything was cold, just a total liquid mess. SOOO sad! I need a kosher can of coconut milk that whips up to stiff whipped cream. Sigh.

Hi There – I am so excited to try this recipe for Thanksgiving. I was going to make it with the Chocolate Pie recipe you posted. I was wondering if for both recipes, if i buy coconut cream, would I have to put in the fridge over night as it would be already hardened and separated? Also, I had a really hard time finding a brand that does not contain guar gum. I have looked at a bunch of groceries stores and all of them seem to have that ingredient.

I tried this at my boyfriends and the brand he had (full fat) did not separate. We thought it had gone bad. So I tried it at home with the Thai Kitchen brand and it worked beautifully!!!
Best whipped cream EVER!!!

Awesome recipe, but to all the people who are commenting like they are better than everyone else and healthier because they are vegan, you are being really obnoxious. I can appreciate the fact that some people choose to be vegan for moral reasons but saying that veganism is the optimal way for all humans to eat is total bullshit. I tried to be a vegan for several months because I was told that it would take my cholesterol down and make me healthy. Guess what, it made me very sick. I was bloated and I just kept getting fatter and my cholesterol was sky high and I was prediabetic on a vegan diet, and yes I was doing it right, eating the right fats, not eating any sugar of any kind, not even maple syrup or honey. So, I changed over to a paleo diet and basically all I eat is meat, veggies, fruit, eggs, fish, and fat, no nuts because I’m severely allergic. Eating this way, my cholesterol has gone down to a normal range and I am healthier than I have ever been. If you want to be a vegan go for it. I respect that people have a choice and I am very grateful for vegan recipes that are useful to me such as coconut whipped cream, but don’t tell us all that we should all be vegan and that meat will kill us because there are so many other factors to take into account when talking about heart disease (certain bacteria introduced into the bloodstream through cavities in teeth cause heart disease) and cancer (toxins and endocrine disruptors). I don’t need to make excuses for not being a vegan but being a vegan was killing me and it did not work for me and it never will. I love animals and I appreciate the cow that my delicious steak I ate for dinner came from. I try only to buy meat and eggs and dairy from sources that treat their animals well. I don’t agree with animal testing and I try to buy cruelty free makeup and body care products. I do what I can but I will never be a vegan.

Hi, This looks delicious. I am wondering, though, if coconut butter would work just as well. It seems that the only difference is that coconut milk has water added to the coconut, whereas coconut butter (I use Nutiva Coconut Manna – https://store.nutiva.com/coconut-manna/ – for other things). What do you think?
Linda

Amazing, I mean who knew? This will be a staple in my home and I will be sharing (not my cream but the recipe!) with all of my clients. Anything that makes you want it over the traditional whipped cream is something serious! :)

I just want to say “Thank you”! My husband and I have only been vegan since the first of November. We are both doing great and we are past the cravings. Our oldest son has been doing this for 5 months and has lost 58 lbs! He is our inspiration. However he hasn’t been concerned about holiday cooking. Your book just arrived yesterday and I’m thrilled to discover your blog! Thank you for saving Thanksgiving for our family. I’m so excited I can still make whipping cream for my darling husband. :) I still have so much for learn.

I am so excited to find this recipe. I tried whipping coconut milk a couple years ago and it was wicked hard to get it creamy but it still tasted yummy, even though it was a bit thin. My sis-in-law and my boyfriend’s son both can’t digest dairy so this year I made everything dairy free and this is going to accompany this dairy free chocolate pie that smells heavenly just out of the oven!
http://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/mayan-dark-chocolate-pie
Thanks for sharing your tips, I am going to use a can of TJ’s coconut cream instead of the milk.

I’m looking to try this for my daughter. She is 3 and has fructose malabsorption but seems to be able to tolerate coconut. I found Native Forest Organic Premium Coconut Cream which says it’s just the cream but it does list guar gum as an ingredient – do you think this would work? Everything I have seen has guar gum! Thank you so much for this recipe – this way she can match everyone without feeling left out – so appreciate the time you’ve put in to offering this recipe to the rest of us! Thank you!!

Just discovered milk alert lead me here. I love the recipe, tips and product advise. Hate the vegan vs meat crap. Does everything have to be a forum to vent personal views? You do you; I’ll do me. This includes diet.

What a great idea. Has anyone tried this with fresh coconut? I live in Florida and am fortunate enough to have more fresh coconuts falling in my lawn than I can keep up with. So I make my own coconut milk etc. using my vitamix. I guess I would just make a thicker coconut milk than usual?

Tried this tonight and ended up with a mess. I followed the instructions but when I opened my can there was a hard disk of, what I’m thinking is, coconut oil. I thought it was suppose to be there so I tried to break it up with my beaters. I ended up with chunks from quarter-size down to sand. It tasted good but I never got anything resembling whipped cream and it was very grainy. Suggestions?

Thank you! I’ve done the most amazing whipped cream using coconut cream instead of milk and following all your steps. The cream had guar gum in the ingredients, but because I couldn’t find any without, I gave it a go and it was wonderfull. My daughter’s 4th brithday ‘Frozen’ cake was amazing. Still looking for the guar gum free coconut milk/cream.

Interesting about the guar gum. I bought 2 different cans today, one organic (coconut milk and guar gum were the only ingredients), and one not (coconut milk, guar gum, cellulose and a couple other ingredients). The organic one separated beautifully and whipped up nice, whereas the non-organic one didn’t separate. Strange, as both had guar gum.

Hi, I love coconut whipped cream I eat it all the time so thank you for this wonderful sharing. Also to add to all the carnivore and herbivore comments honeslty every food we eat is a lie there is no PROOF on what gives you cancer, diabetes, heart problems etc…everyone is wrong even doctors, the truth is NO ONE on this entire earth knows which foods cause harm and which ones don’t because every single person on this planet is created differently some people live to be 100 when eating meat, then some people don’t. Same with the vegan diet or lifestyle, I went on a vegan diet and I almost nearly died weighing only about 59 pounds at age 17 which was incredibly dangerous, I couldn’t walk, do anything, my body looked like it was disintegrating because I wasn’t able to get enough nutrients from what I was eating. When I was on the verge of dying I decided to try something new and once I started incorporating meat, fish, and everything else because I didn’t have a choice. I started to gain weight and soon I got up to 100 pounds by age 19 and continuing on from that I gained a huge amount of muscle weight after continuing to eat meat and fish on a healthy diet called Paleo, and to this day I still don’t see any problems with my health whats so ever, nor do I even take medicine or vitamins. Once again though everyone is different what ever one person likes does’t mean you should hate on what another person is eating, but I make sure to get meat that is Grass-Fed and where the killing is done in a far more appropriate way then most ways now a days, because of factories.

if you use trader joes name brand coconut cream then its way cheaper, you dont have to refrigerate it before whipping and the WHOLE can can be whipped (there is no watery part). it has xanthan gum in it but it doesnt matter because again there is no watery part

it took me a while to find coconut milk without guar gum. Now (May 2015) Native Forest uses it. I’ve finally found the GOYA coconut milk, that has no guar gum. I made the whipped cream and it’s super soft and yummy!
here is how I found it: http://www.amazon.com/Goya-Foods-Unsweetened-Coconut-13-5-Ounce/dp/B00032CT4A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433210195&sr=8-1&keywords=goya+coconut+milk

My granddaughter all a sudden became Lactose intolerant and I was looking for a “whip cream” substitute. I made whip cream out of Coconut Milk but forgot the guar gum part! My 2 cans had the guar gum and my whip cream turned out great! As I read the comments about Veggie and non veggie people, as I call them, one thing stuck out. SALEM discussion about natural food. First I found it a little amusing that it was such a “amazing” discovery. I am European born and raised. I am 71 yrs young and have lived in the USA for over 50yrs. I was raised on “pure” butter we bought from the farmer and Olive oil. The Olive oil with the “strong” smell and taste. I could never get used to margarine or the oil in the USA. So I cooked with butter – which was not really butter to me. In the 1960 til 1980 my family “shipped” Olive oil and yes even butter from Europe to me in the States.ha ha Some of the butter had melted until they wrapped it foil and put it in a container! Then all a sudden it was against the law to send food in the mail! In the mean time I had found some “German Groceries Stores” where I could buy some butter and Olive Oil. Not quite the same but nearly the same! My family and friends LOVED my cooking and baking. One of my secrets of course was the “butter” and “Olive oil”. One Doctor friend told me how bad both were etc etc. But when I asked him, how come European in general were not as fat as Americans, had less heart attacks etc even though they cooked with pure butter and Olive oil, he had no answers. My cholesterol is normal, I never had high blood pressure, my heart is very healthy. Recently a Doctor asked about my diet and I told him – I drink black ice- coffee ALL DAY long, I cook with “unsalted” butter and fry with everything in Olive oil! He laughed and asked me if I drank a glass of “red wine” every day.I told him NO, it must be my genes. He said genes plays a big part in it but what have been scientifically proven , coffee is good for you, butter is much more healthier than all the “chemicals” in the margarine and “pure” Olive oil with the strong taste and smell, is healthier than any other oil. And EGGS are good for you too. What all a sudden became a new “revelation” and people make millions in writing books about, is actually grandma good old fashion cooking! Just leave out the “lard”. lol What I learned thru the years – eat WHAT YOU WANT TO EAT in ” moderation”. If your body lacks a certain food – it will tell you! Once in the blue moon I crave “pickles” and of all things “red beets”. So I buy a small jar of pickles and yes a “can” of red beets with all the unhealthy bs in it and eat them! I am good for a year or so. lol I have to confess however, I do NOT drink Sodas, eat chips, ice-cream, doughnuts, cookies or candies. Once in a while maybe a little piece of “dark chocolate”! I barely eat fruits. Never buy fresh veggies or canned (only the beets lol)! I buy “frozen veggies” and steam them in the microwave! I am too lazy to wash, peel and cook fresh veggies. Too much work! Frozen veggies “STEAMED” is perfect for me. I never was a great meat lover but when I do eat meat – I eat it “very rare”! Another NO NO! I am 5’1″ and weigh 140 lbs. The 105 lbs I weight for years and years slowly disappeared when I reached 50 and stopped chasing my 3 sons. STOP WORRYING what is healthy or not healthy for you! What was “unhealthy yesterday is healthy today or vise versa! — EAT IN MODERATION AND ENJOY IT!!

Amen! I also don’t go with the gluten free fads out there!.. I won’t buy “store bread” but I do make my own bread using a ratio of 1 cup unbleached white (sometimes organic) flour and 2 cups organic whole grain spelt flour.. spelt flour apparently is lower in gluten.. and you can tell because it’s impossible to make bread just with straight spelt; it will fall apart (reason I use white in the mix as well).. I will ALWAYS eat bread, in moderation. Plus by making my own bread I have control over what goes into the mix

Hi there! Important question! I want to put this on my vegan carrot cake, but I’m taking the cake to a party with me and it will take me almost two hours to get there (it’s pretty hot here), will the coconut whip survive that?

Just tried making this with Earth’s Choice organic coconut cream and it did not go well. :-( followed the instructions exactly but after I opened the can and dumped out the milk there was mostly mushy cream with an inch or two of rock hard cream at the ‘bottom’. So now after trying to whip it and having no luck I’m left with a chunky, liquidy, nasty mess.

I’m guessing/hoping that it’s just the brand and I can somehow find a different brand in my area that would work. If anyone has dealt with this and has some tips I’d be happy to hear them!! :-(

I was so looking forward to this and having it with the carrot cupcakes on This Rawsome Vegan Life recently for my birthday, and despite following the instructions to a tee it was a complete flop. Feeling disappointed :-(

I tried to make this with the Thai Kitchen Coconut milk – full fat…left it in the fridge over night and did not turn it over left it just sitting on the shelf and when I opened the can there was very little solid coconut cream…Has anyone else had this issue and if so what went wrong? Is there a type of coconut milk that works better than another to make coconut whipping cream. Thanks

This is a great recipe and tastes wonderful! I bought the Native Forest organic coconut cream on Amazon and keep a can refrigerated now in case I need it. The hint about chilling the mixing bowl really helped! Also helpful was your suggestion to turn the can upside down and pour off the liquid for use in other recipes. I added a little pure vanilla and agave extract. Everyone loved it on a vegan key lime pie the first time I made it and now my husband requests I make it to use instead af ice cream as a topping. It stays fresh for days in the refrigerator! It is really helpful to have recipes like this to offer as dairy substitutes when you are trying to be vegan with a dairy loving family and friends! No complaints from them when I served this and they were surprised when I told them it wasn’t dairy.

turn the can upside down when you put it in the fridge. I haven’t tried this before but just bought two different brands of coconut milk today. Have to go look if their is guar in them. I hope not. if not one goes in fridge tonight. thanks for the tutorial.

I am thoroughly enjoying these comments! I do eat meat, but really it is sparingly and it is usuallt poultry or fish. I can see both sides of the coin. Away from and poo flinging… thank you for this alternative to dairy whipped cream. One of my cousin’s is vegan and this will be a great accompaniment to Thanksgiving this years. Thank you!

This looks like it might be a great alternative frosting for a cake I plan to make this weekend. How much does one can make, though? Would it be enough to frost a cake or would I need to do two cans? Thanks for the great recipes!

Hi Angela, I am in the middle of making your delectable cake ball little treats for my girlfriends who are coming over tomorrow night, one is vegan and one is gluten free. It’s my gluten free friend’s birthday so I want to have your cake balls with candles to sing happy birthday to her. My problem is that I had actual coconut cream in the can and thought heh, that should work perfectly without having to put the can in the fridge overnight. Well needless to say (and as you did warn me lol)….nope….it didn’t whip up much at all so now I have put another can of the coconut cream in the freezer hoping I can speed up the process in order to have them decorated before tomorrow rolls around. Have you ever tried it using actual coconut cream? I am using Earth’s Choice organic coconut cream. Any suggestions would be so appreciated. Also just as a side note, I’ve already done up the peanut butter balls and they are in the fridge and are really yummy and I ordered your cookbook from Amazon today. :) Thank you kindly. Cheers!

I bought this exact brand of coconut milk and it didn’t have the solid part at all… it was all liquid :( Any suggestions for when that happens, or do I just have to buy multiple cans when I’m planning to make this? Thanks!

Hi Charlie, Unfortunately – for whatever reason – sometimes the cream and water don’t separate, even in a trusted brand. I always keep at least a few cans in my fridge at all times just in case I get a dud. It happens!

I am using the organic Natual Value brand which was highly recommended in all sorts of blogs and by the Whole30 community. It separates, looks just like the pictures. I chill it etc. but then it won’t whip. Not even a little. I’ve tried 2 cans so far. Anyone know what this could be? Thanks.

Hi, thanks for a great site and I did download your app on my ipad, but unfortunately, I use my note 5 for a quick look when I am not home. The whip cream sounds great, but so far it seems impossible to find coconut milk without guar-gum. I shopped all over looking for the native brand to find it also had the guar-gum and then read your blog that the brand you show on your site now has guar-gum. I am at a lost. I live in Sarasota FL, but originally from New England.
If you have any ideas of what brands to purchase I would appreciate your help. You’re recipes are spectacular! God bless you and your family…

Hi Irene, Thank you for your support! I hope you’re enjoying the app so far. I think most of the coconut milk brands I buy all have guar gum in them, so I’m sorry I don’t have any to suggest! I would also check out this Q+A post on another site: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum/thread60447.html

Will the whipped coconut cream recipe still work if the can has guar gum in it? You mentioned at the top of the tutorial to find coconut milk without guar gum. I have no issue with guar gum, I just want to make sure the recipe will work.

Hi Ann, Guar gum causes the cream and water to emulsify, which will spell trouble for the recipe. So it’s best to look for a can of full-fat coconut milk that does not contain guar game in the ingredient list. :)

If you use Trader Joe’s coconut cream, do you still need to chill it? How does using this Trader Joe’s product make the coconut whipped cream process different? Thanks for your help! I’ve been LOVING your site!!

I wonder if this would hold together nicely if I froze the coconut cream, then added Xylitol while whipping. Since a person cant whip it long before it starts resembling coconut milk and the xylitol takes a while to melt. I like Xylitol because it doesn’t have a bad aftertaste.

I think this is going to become a staple in my house now just like frozen banana turned into ice cream is. I always have some form of fruit in my house so a quick topping on top of fruit slices is a great go-to when wanting something sweet. I made this for the second time last night and I much prefer what I did last night: whipped coconut milk with vanilla and coconut palm sugar (lower glycemic natural sugar). I’m going to try stevia with it. If I like it with stevia then I have an even healthier dessert for me. :) Thanks for posting

I’ve made this before but I’ve never liked it nor found it easy until I saw this recipe. The flipping the can upside is genius. I add Stevia for 0 on the glycemic scale or Coconut Palm Sugar which is second lowest healthy/natural sugar on the glycemic scale. I now enjoy adding it on top of sliced fruit and a pinch of cinnamon on top for a quick, healthy dessert. Thanks!

Hello,
I notice that all the cans of coconut milk/cream contain guar gum (including Native Forest). Will the whipped coconut cream process still work if the can contains guar gum? Has anyone in Canada found a brand that has no guar gum?
Thanks

This is a recipe blog, right? I read some comments to get more ideas about recipes tried and used. Ended up in some editorials on meat eaters verses vegetarian/vegans. Why? Who cares. Eat what you want. Go where you want. Stick to the topic.
Thank you for your recipe and directions. I found what I was looking for. Worked great for me. Now, can we talk about why you used an orange bowl while you made this? Because a clear bowl makes so much more sense since you can see what’s going on while you work. While the handle of your can opener looked black, which doesn’t fit the decor set by the orange bowl.

I agree Cindy, the comments got way off topics. Love your comment, eat what you want, who cares. I have a vegan daughter, I tell her, you eat what you want, and I will eat what I want, don’t push your personal agenda on me. Anyway, I just realized where I was going wrong with the coconut whipped cream, I was using the one with the gums, I never looked at the ingredients, ugh. Thanks.

Sounds like easiest way to have coconut whipped cream. I will try it on this weekend. My kids will surely love it. In fact, It is good for health purpose too. Thanks for your step by step tutorial and tips.

Sorry to say but no matter what we did there was NO way we could whip up the cream that solidified from the canned coconut milk or the canned coconut cream. We put the cans in the refrig , some for a few hours, some overnight and some longer. It was almost impossible to break up the hardened cream from the trader joes brands and it is so hard. All are utensils and bowls were nice and cold as well. The “cream never whipped. It stayed almost separated like granules. We all became ill after consuming the guar gum brands. They destroy your tummy. Hours in the bathroom:(. Such a disaster so unless you can give us the specific one that works I don’t think we’ll attempt this ordeal again.

P.S.
The organic coconut milk classic you show above and the results is made with GUAR GUM so telling us to not use it, but you DO seems hypocritical, don’t you think? It looks and whips nice in picture but the ones without guar gum do not!

I’ve made this, (as instructed) and It’s really the only way to go to have fresh, delicious whipped cream. I have no problem at all making it and eating it! It’s a keeper. I’m a health nut all the way and have been for many years. I go for only natural. This is about as natural as it gets.
Thanks!

In response to Salem: thank you for your comments. I am very happy that an alternative “whipped cream” is available. I happen to be Lactose intolerant and had to do without real cream, real dairy, etc. for many years. If I could, I would also like to have the real whipped cream on my deserts but cannot. I am going to try this recipe tomorrow after chilling the coconut milk; keeping my fingers crossed that all will go well.

Any tips on getting smooth whipped cream every time? So often I’ve ended up with whipped cream with a bit of a grainy texture. I pretty much always use native forest brand, and have always done it just the way you described.

Hey katie, I’ve had this grainy problem too…and I have no idea why it happens with some cans sometimes, but then other times it is fine. Maybe someone else knows and can weigh in on this. I wonder if it has to do with it having a “gum” or not?

Well, this was pretty much an epic failure! I suspect it is the fact that all coconut milk contains guar gum, which I suspect keeps it from whipping to any degree. So recipes like this should really be coming down or revised to keep current.

Hey there, Oh no sorry to hear that! I make it frequently with guar gum in the ingredients and it turns out okay. But some cans seem to give me trouble too. I haven’t been able to figure out the inconsistency thing with canned coconut milk.

I have been making coconut whipped cream successfully for a couple of years until recently. I have been using the full fat organic Native Forrest brand which has the guar gum(used to work). The problem is that when I open the cans, the coconut is emulsified. There is no solid cream, it’s all mixed together. So it is very runny. I have gone through 10 cans bought from different places with the same results. I have tried chilling it for more than three days with the same result. I freeze my pan and beaters as always.

I tried to strain it and still have very runny results. Any suggestions? This is a family favorite and I don’t know how to fix this.

Hey Deborah, I’m sorry your coconut milk is giving you trouble! I’ve had this problem a lot too, and I agree that it’s so frustrating to get those “dud” cans! Native Forest used to be my go-to, but I find it’s really hit and miss now. I did some digging online and it sounds like readers have had better success using canned full-fat coconut milk from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods 365 brand, and Thai Kitchen. I’d love to hear how it goes if you try any of those out…and if any other readers have had this same problem, please feel free to chime in with your tips. :) I hope this helps!

I tried this last week with Trader Joe’s coconut cream, chilled for several days in the fridge. Bowl and beaters also chilled. The cream never softened, no matter how much I beat it. It was just hard and chunky. Is the cream a bad choice? Seems like it should be better than the milk.

Hey Steph, I’m sorry your coconut milk is giving you trouble! I’ve had this problem a lot too, and I agree that it’s so frustrating to get those “dud” cans! Native Forest used to be my go-to, but I find it’s really hit and miss now. I did some digging online and it sounds like readers have had better success using canned full-fat coconut milk from Whole Foods 365 brand and Thai Kitchen. You may also want to try letting it sit at room temperature for a litle bit as sometimes I find it can get a bit TOO firm when chilled in the fridge. I’d love to hear how it goes if you try any of those out…and if any other readers have had this same problem, please feel free to chime in with your tips. I hope this helps!

The brand Azul (found at dollar tree) has a great coconut milk with no guar gum and is also very affordable for all people so if you are looking for affordable or cheap coconut milk with no guar gum try Azuls’!

Hi there — i’ve been looking for a whipped cream to use a for an ice cream cake for my daughter’s third birthday. I love that this is healthy and vegan! However, I’d like the frosting to be pink and ideally from a natural ingredient. I was thinking to add in some boiled down strawberries…? Do you think it will work if i add it in after the frosting is made? Hope to hear back from you! THANKS :)